Woman loses left arm

Nimba County, launchpad of Liberia’s bloody civil war in 1989 stills wallops in violence, as a male resident chopped off the left hand of a woman for trespassing and receives arson attack in revenge.    

By Thomas Domah, Nimba County

Nimba, Liberia, April 9, 2024 – A 31-year-old woman has lost her left arm in a gruesome attack by a male employee of the Nimba County University for trespassing on his premises. But the suspect has suffered a revenge arson attack from angry mob, leaving his property burnt down after he chopped off the left arm of the woman.

Suspect Daniel S. Tokpah, an Accountant at Nimba University, had allegedly attacked his victim, Madam Jessica Davis, during an early morning quarrel at 6:45 a.m. in the Gbloryee community for trespassing or passing through his yard.

According to community chairman Prince Garwuo, at 6:45 in the morning, Victim Jessica Davis was on her way to get food from Gbloryee market to prepare food for her father-in-law when Suspect Daniel S. Tokpah chopped her with a cutlass, wounding her severely for passing thru his yard.

Chairman Garwuo disclosed that several residents of the Gbloryee community had been victims of attacks from Mr. Tokpah for passing in his yard.

He said since Suspect Tokpah moved in the community, he had been involved in violence and continues to create problems for the community.

One of his victims, Nohn Lofen, who narrowly escaped death from a separate incident, told the NEWDAWN that she was the first to pass through Suspect Tokpah’s yard while Madam Jessica Davis was the second when she was attacked and chopped multiple times in her body, which led to losing her left hand.

She explained that Suspect Daniel S. Tokpah had attempted to kill his wife, but she (Nohn) rescued the woman, and since then, she and the suspect have never been on good terms or spoken to each other.

“This man had threatened to kill me several times because I rescue his wife”, Nohn Lofen added.

Two other victims, Samuel Dolo and Helena Yini, narrated to the NEW DAWN that during early morning hours, Suspect Tokpah would come outside with a cutlass in his hand, threatening to kill anyone who passes through his yard, a routine they note he continues to do.

Victim Jessica Davis and Suspect Tokpah reportedly live in the same yard, but he doesn’t allow anyone to pass in front of his place that is not fenced, according to some residents of the community, who alleged that the suspect had also victimized them.

Eyewitnesses say Tokpah chased 31-year-old Jessica Davis and attacked her twice, which left her hospitalized at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital in Ganta City.

Community residents then apprehended the suspect and walked with him for over 20 minutes to the Ganta Police station.

At the Police station angry crowd gathered in huge numbers and demanded the Police to turn him over for instant justice, threatening to set the station ablaze, but reinforcement from Yekepa and Sanniquellie alongside with the Gbarnga Regional Security Hub moved in and calmed the situation.

Meanwhile, Suspect Tokpah remains in Police custody pending a full investigation. Editing by Jonathan Browne