Ganta, Nimba County – Two officers of the Liberia National Police have been allegedly flogged by Poro Master (otherwise known as the country devil) in Gbuyee Town, about a mile away from Ganta.
Report by Franklin Doloquee, Contributor
The two officers had gone to the town to enforce the arrest of a 38-year-old man identified as Obadiah Garbee, who allegedly took a single barrel raffle to kill his 48-year-old brother, Nelson Garbee, a town chief.
Report says Obadiah Garbee pointed the gun at his big brother after family confusion broke out among them and the Poro master [country devil] intervened to investigate the two in the Poro shrine.
Both of them were accordingly charged seven animals (livestock) with L$8,500.00, which caused Nelson Garbee to escape to seek justice from the Liberia National Police.
Based on the complaint from the Town Chief, the two police officers were sent to enforce an arrest, but citizens of the town insisted that the country devil was in control and therefore forced the two officers out of the town.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica, the two police officers, Michael P. Keh and Irene Korgbaye said, they were on duty when Nelson Garbee rushed to the police station to inform them about what happened to him.
“After Town Chief Nelson Garbee rushed to the police station with a complaint about his brother wanting to kill him with his single barrel gun, we then followed him to enforce an arrest. While in the town, one of the elders took suspect Obadiah Garbee into their Poro bush and the process lasted for over 30 minutes before putting the country devil outside to attack us,” said Michael P. Keh.
According to Officer Keh, while awaiting the elder who took suspect Obadiah Garbee into their shrine to return, a group of men rushed to the female officer, Irene Korgbaye, grabbed her and seized her cell phone.
Officer Keh alleged that his working equipment and personal mobile phone along with US$100.00 were taken from him before the men can began flogging him.
He received treatment at the Power House Clinic while Irene received treatment at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital.
When contacted, the chief elder of Bain, Mr. Alfred Gbordor, said not aware of the situation.
A similar incident occurred in 2019 when some police officers had gone to enforce an arrest in Ganta.
Officers beaten that time included Albert Isaac Nuah and Allison Suah, and they were hospitalized for some months at the Ganta United Methodist and E&J Hospitals, respectively.
Of recent, some officers of the Liberia Immigration Service [LIS] who have gone to enforce an arrest during the state of emergency were also beaten and wounded by residents who were violating the SOE.
In early 2019 country devil allegedly flogged to death a 33-year-old man, Samuel Mansuo in Zuoplay Town in Doe Administrative district near Tappita in eastern Nimba.
The deceased was arrested by members of the Poro group and was asked to produce whom they wanted to initiate into the traditional practice.
The Poro Members allegedly held the deceased for over six hours demanding him to show the whereabouts of his son, whom they had earlier fined for breaching their sacred rules.
After the late Samuel Mansuo failed to produce his son, he was severely flogged by his captives and released, but subsequently died.