MONROVIA – The Liberia National Police has told the family of the late 16-year-old Gentle Bryant that their investigation established that he died by drowning.
However, when the deceased remains were discovered, he still had on the white T-shirt and black shorts, a pair of black socks and red and black sneakers he wore when he left him on Christmas Day.
Report by Mae Azango [email protected]
Gentle was found dead on Christmas Day in the Edward Beyan Kesselley Barracks where he had gone to visit a friend.
The family, especially the father of the deceased, Jesse Bryant, insists that his son was murdered.
Speaking on a local radio station, Mr. Bryant eahead
said after the death of his son, there was a 16-man jury comprising of some military officers, family members and other important people set up in the EBK Barracks and it was established that there was foul play in the death of the lad, but the police say they do not know about such jury.
“How can the police say they do not know about 16-man jury who investigated and said there was foul a foul play? Furthermore, a female office that went on the scene after the body was discovered, said there was a foul play, the police said they did not get that report from any officer. I got so angry and walked out of the room, because I am very hurt. How can the police say my son died as a result of drowning when there was a deep cut on his head along with other scars, and bruises were all over his body? His tongue and eyes were coming outside as if he was strangled to death; as a result he sh*t in his pants, while his private part was swollen. So how can they say my son died by drowning?”
According to Women TV who spoke with Bryant in an interview at the LNP Headquarters, Bryant said his son was murdered in the EBK barracks, something he described as gruesomely evil.
Bryant: “My son was murdered. I am surprised that the police are doing this. They are not even aware we got permits to bury my child. In the meeting they went to hang heads and upon their return, we were told Gentle died of ‘suspected drowning’.
“I regret ever being a Liberian, I regret being born here. Why will the police compromise the case when my son’s arms were broken and the boy toileted in his pants before he died? We showed them the evidence. His tongue came out of his mouth. He had cuts on his head and his ear was chipped with deep cuts. His eye came out. How will the police say he died by drowning.”
“What kind of country is this? I am so broken; I just do not know what to say. They killed my son,” he lamented.