Sime Darby’s fertilizers arrested

The Liberia National Police have arrested several bags of fertilizers belonging to the Sime Darby Palm Plantation Company in Western Liberia.

The fertilizer with inscription: “Sime Darby Liberia Plantation” was arrested in a warehouse managed by one Kpoto Morwu. Officers of the LNP Zone 5 Deport 1 in Paynesville executed the arrest following tipoff recently.

This paper has not contacted Sime Darby Management about the matter, but a man claiming ownership of the fertilizers only identified as Samuel took warehouse manager Morwu to court, demanding him to produce the items left in his (Morwu’s) care.
Several weeks following thorough investigation, police charged Mr. Morwu with crime of misapplication of entrusted property and subsequently forwarded the case to the Paynesville Magisterial Court for trial Police document dated 18 September 2016 reads: “We the police of Zone Five Deport One (Goba-Chop) have arrested four (4) bags of fertilizers from Mr. Kpoto Morwu’s warehouse and the fertilizer is now in police possession at the (E.O.) office.”

The E.O. is the Executive Officer, who signed the police document, identified as Matthew Davis. Complainant Samuel, according to document, had earlier accused defendant Kpoto Morwu of allegedly misdirecting his fertilizers left in his care for safe keeping.
According to him, the cost of the fertilizers is (LRD133, 000.00) One Hundred and Thirty Three Thousands Liberian dollars.

Authorities of the zone 5 deport 1 are currently in possession of the fertilizers, while the case is pending before the Paynesville Magisterial Court.However, the court during preliminary hearing of the case, requested complainant Samuel to explain how he acquired the fertilizers imported in the country by Sime Darby Palm Plantation Company for use on its agricultural plantations.
Court record revealed that since Samuel departed the premises of the court, he has failed to appear for fear of being detained for illegal possession of company property.

However, lawyers representing the legal interest of defendant Morwu, have requested the court to throw the case out for failure of the complainant to appear to explain how he acquired the fertilizers from the premises of Sime Darby Plantation in Western Liberia.

The complainant, who has allegedly gone in hiding, is said to have asked defendant Morwu to prevail on the police to have his fertilizers returned, but the matter is before the court.

By Emmanuel Mondaye-Editing by Jonathan Browne