Bong County — A 25-year-old man has been sent to court for allegedly setting fire to the cocoa plantation of Representative Marvin Cole in Bong County.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
The suspect, identified as Musa Izako, was charged with arson and disorderly conduct on Friday, February 7, by officers at the Gbartala Police Station in Yelequelleh District.
According to Gbartala Police Commander, Mustapha Swaray, the incident occurred on Thursday, February 6, after Bong County authorities received a call from Paul Darwokala, a resident of Cole’s village, requesting urgent police intervention.
Darwokala, while patrolling from Gbondio Town to Cole’s Village, noticed an abandoned motorbike along the roadside. Suspicious of the situation, he began a surveillance patrol. It was during this patrol that he allegedly saw Izako coming from the bush and setting fire to the cocoa plantation.
Upon realizing he had been spotted, Izako fled the scene on his motorbike. Darwokala gave chase in a taxi, honking the horn repeatedly. However, Izako ran out of gasoline, abandoned the motorbike, and escaped into the bush.
Darwokala called for help, and local community members assisted in apprehending the suspect. Izako was later captured and handed over to police, along with the abandoned motorbike.
A search of Izako’s belongings revealed a wallet containing six passport-size photos, a national ID card, and a lighter.
When questioned, Izako denied the charges, claiming he was on his way to buy palm wine from a nearby village. However, he could not identify the village or produce the palm wine he purportedly purchased.
When asked why he fled the scene, Izako reportedly remained silent, though he acknowledged ownership of the wallet and its contents, including the lighter.
Based on eyewitness testimony and physical evidence, police charged Izako with arson and disorderly conduct, forwarding the case to the 9th Judicial Circuit Court for prosecution.
Representative Marvin Cole took to his Facebook page on the evening of February 6, expressing his frustration over the destruction of his cocoa plantation. Cole revealed that the fire had damaged his farm, which consists of 30,000 trees, and that he had invested over $250,000 into the venture.
The case now rests with the court, which will determine Izako’s fate.
