Precious Greaves speaks on husband’s death

Three weeks after her estranged husband the late Harry Greaves reportedly went missing at the RLJ Hotel in Kendeja along the Robertsfield Highway in Margibi County and subsequently found dead ashore behind the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia, Mrs. Precious Andrews Greaves, the widow of the late ex-managing director of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has publicly spoken for the first time, expressing her dissatisfaction over the manner in which the Government of Liberia is proceeding with the investigation of his death.

The death of Mr. Greaves has been officially described by the government as suspicious. However, a provisional autopsy diagnoses conducted on the deceased’s decomposed body by a team of government-hired pathologists from the Nebraska Forensic Institute based in the United States of America attributes the probable cause of death to “Asphyxiation by salt water drowning.”

Mrs. Greaves on Monday, 22 February expressed her displeasure via mobile phone on a popular local radio talk show here the “Costa Show”. She described the way in which government is conducting the investigation of her husband’s suspicious death as unprofessional.

She said it is unfortunate that the government would release autopsy report on the death of Mr. Greaves to the media. She called on the government to from now, keep all future findings on the death of her husband out of the press.

Mrs. Greaves who runs a chain of restaurants across Monrovia, said she has been informed the government is about to bring in to the country another pathologist to conduct a second autopsy on her late husband’s body without any reference to her or the family in general.

She said every piece of information reaching her about the late Harry Greaves is from the electronic and print media, something which she lamented, is unfair.
Observers say this position by Mrs. Greaves could be a clever ploy along with the government to withhold results of future findings from the public under the guise of so-called family’s wish. Mrs Precious Andrews Greaves is the daughter of the late renowned Liberian broadcast Journalist G. Henry Andrews. Mr. Andrews, who died in the late 90s, was also former chairman of the National Elections Commission, who presided over the ECOWAS-sponsored special election that brought ex-President Charles Ghankay Taylor to power in 1997.

The Government last Friday disclosed that arrangements have been made to bring in a pathologist from another professional forensic firm in the United States in furtherance of the investigation into Mr. Greaves’ death.

Speaking Friday, 18 February at a special press briefing in Minister Justice Minister Benedict Sannoh said the pathologist will review both the provisional autopsy report by the Nebraska Pathologists and an observatory report by doctors at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center on the body and give professional opinion.

Minister Sannoh said, if need arises, the pathologist will conduct another forensic examination on Mr. Greaves’ body at the cost of the state. He also announced the arrival of two U.S law enforcement agents to help with the investigation of circumstances surrounding the suspicious death of the late Harry Greaves, disclosing that the two agents arrived in the country late Thursday, February 18.

The two agents, according to the Attorney General, are currently working along with officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in furtherance of the investigation.

Minister Sannoh appealed to family members of the deceased to work closely with officers of the Liberia National Police and the U.S security agents to adequately get to the bottom of the probe.

By Bridgett Milton-Edited by Jonathan Browne