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Politics News

Troubling testimony in Tyron’s case

By Winston W. Parley

Liberian journalist Tyron Browne’s bleeding soul may have been awakened in tears on 7 September when one of those that wore a pair of gloves and allegedly assisted suspect Jonathan Williams to destroy all traces of evidence gave a troubling testimony surrounding the 15 April incident.

“When I [tried] to help him and the both of us realized that this person was so heavy, we needed a help. Mr. Williams instructed that Edwina Youtey go into the house and call Ernest. When Ernest … arrived, he also gave a pair of gloves to Ernest, which Ernest wore and then we assisted, took this person and placed [them] in the jeep of Mr. Williams…,” third State Witness Bill Caesar Kennedy explained Friday, 7 September.

Caesar Kennedy, Massa Kennedy and Juana Bracewell are three former co-defendants that government nolle prosequi (abandoned trial against) to testify to what they know about journalist Tyron Browne’s murder on 15 April this year.

Witness Caesar told Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie and a 15 – man jury panel at Court “A” that since he assisted in putting Tyron into the jeep who was later dumped on the roadside by Williams, he (Caesar) had been afraid to say anything over fear that Williams may have done something to him.

Caesar says he returned from work on 15 April, entered their Duport Road residence in a compound behind 704 by 23:58 GMT and met defendant Williams, Ernest Kermo, defendants Alice Youtey and Edwina Youtey and Williams’ brother “in a confused mood”.

According to Caesar, defendants Williams, Alice and Edwina told him that someone entered the yard, attacked Williams “and got into a fight.”

Subsequently he says defendant Williams explained that he thought the person was hurt.

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After hearing from his neighbors, Caesar says he went inside and requested Ernest to give him his food so that he could eat.

Upon taking the first spoon of the food, witness Caesar says he was called by defendant Williams.

“[When] I came out, he [had] his car ready, the two back seats bent over with a plastic ready placed in the back of his jeep,” says Caesar.

The witness narrates that he was instructed by defendant Williams to walk behind him while he drove outside of the fence.In the process, Caesar recalls being asked by defendant Williams if he saw anybody.

“[And] I said no. We got at the scene, I noticed that there was a body lying just few meters from our fence where we live,” witness Caesar explains.In the presence of Edwina and Alice, Caesar recalls that defendant Williams took a glove and handed it over to him (Caesar) so that he could assist the defendant to drop off victim Tyron.

The witness indicates that when he inquired from defendant Williams what he meant by “dropping,” he says the indictee said it meant to take the person (Tyron) to hospital.Caesar testifies that he tried to help defendant Williams, but Tyron was so heavy, and so they needed a help.

That led defendant Williams to allegedly instruct Edwina to call Ernest.Upon arrival, he recalls that Ernest was also given a pair of gloves and “then we assisted, took this person and placed [them] in the jeep of Mr. Williams…”

Under defendant Williams’ instruction, Caesar says they sat with the principal defendant in his jeep, drove off through the road leading to the Kingdom Care Hospital.Upon arrival, defendant Williams stopped just few meters away from the hospital, got out of his jeep and pulled Tyron out of the vehicle and dropped him at the side of the road, Caesar explains.

Having dropped Tyron few meters away from the hospital, witness Caesar says Williams got back into his jeep and drove back into the yard at Duport Road.When they finally arrived home, Caesar narrates that defendant Williams again instructed that the plastic and gloves be burnt.

“… I did [collect] the plastic, placed it on the septi tank along with the gloves which was given by Mr. Williams to be burned,” witness Caesar says.According to Caesar, defendant Williams instructed Alice to bring a box of matches while the indictee personally fetched fuel from his generator room, spilled it over the items and burned them.

“I stood in the presence of Mr. Williams, Alice Youtey, Edwina Youtey and Ernest Kermo. After we watched it burned, I went along with Ernest into the house and ever since … I was afraid to say anything,” Caesar notes.Defendant Williams allegedly used a knife and inflicted grievous bodily injuries on diverse parts of journalist Browne’s body, rendering the victim unconscious.

According to the indictment, co- defendants Alice, Edwina, Massa Kennedy and Juana Bracewell watched and were in full knowledge of the incident, but they never reported it to police or any law enforcement office.Proceedings in this case have been rescheduled pending the outcome of a conference before the Justice in Chambers at the Supreme Court of Liberia.

-Edited by Othello B. Garblah

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NewDawn

The New Dawn is Liberia’s Truly Independent Newspaper Published by Searchlight Communications Inc. Established on November 16, 2009, with its first hard copy publication on January 22, 2010. The office is located on UN Drive in Monrovia Liberia. The New Dawn is bilingual (both English & French).
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