Monrovia – Better Future Foundation (BFF) has expressed shock, disdain and regret that the Chairman of the Christian Community in Neezoe, Pipeline Road, in Paynesville, Roosevelt Mayango Jallah, has been brutally killed.
BFF has also called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those suspected to be involved in the killing of the community chairman as required by the laws of Liberia.
BFF, a peacebuilding and human rights-based civil society organization, in a press release, disclosed that Mr. Jallah met his brutal death allegedly at the hands of a man, believed to be in his 30s, Abraham Sally, CKA “G-Blazer” and his accomplices on March 30, 2020, at about 7 p.m.
BFF gathered that other individuals who are suspected to be connected to the murder incident are on the run.
The release said, victim Roosevelt Anthony Mayango Jallah was stabbed to death while he and other community leaders were constructing a self-initiative community bridge aimed at facilitating free movement of residents, goods and services as the Rainy Season fast approaches.
Quoting preliminary investigation of the Liberia National Police (LNP), BFF said the knife injury on victim Jallah’s body was six inches deep and three inches wide.
The release further indicated that some of those suspected to be involved in the brutal murder of the Community Chairman have gone on the run while one of the suspects, Abraham Sally, reportedly turned himself over on Thursday, April 2, to LNP Zone 3 depot in Congo Town, for fear of being mobbed to death by angry residents.
According to BFF, suspect Sally was subsequently transferred to LNP Central Hqs on Friday, April 3rd.
BFF, which is also proponent of Liberia Democracy Sustainability Platform (DSP), warned that alleged murderers and other hardcore criminals left to be on the run in any society without arrest and prosecution, puts that country at high security risk.
The advocacy group quoted an eyewitness, Andrew Karbeh, who is the Block “D” deputy leader as disclosing that the murder incident occurred when suspect Abraham Sally and some of his friends were requested by community leaders, who were constructing the bridge, to contribute L$20 (US$0.10) each for the bridge project but Sally and his friends defiantly refused to comply.
According to Karbeh, when Sally refused to comply with the L$20 payment, he (Sally) was encouraged by his friends, including Anthony P. Mulbah, CKA “Black D”, and Prince Leon to cross and that nothing would happen to him.
It was at this time that Sally allegedly and defiantly crossed after which he was physically engaged by he (Anthony Karbeh), leading to a tousle with Sally and his friends, including Anthony P. Mulbah, Prince Leo and others that resulted to sally falling in the water.
After he came out of the water, Sally is reported to have unsuccessfully pursued Andrew Karbeh with a kitchen knife.
During the tussle, Karbeh escaped from suspect Sally. After Karbeh escaped, Sally then moved towards the community chairman, Roosevelt Anthony Mayango, who was sitting under a nearby tree and instantly stabbed him twice with a knife believed to be used by a coconut seller leading to his untimely instantly.
Meanwhile, a communication from the office of the Montserrado County Coroner, addressed to hospital, funeral homes/administrator management said, “We present our compliment and hereby write to commend you for the level of cooperation that you continue to give me as coroner for Montserrado County along with the team of jurors in conducting the post-mortem examination/coroner inquest on the body of the late Roosevelt A. Mayango whose body is herein preserved.
“In view of the above, and after completing my work along with the coroner jurors on the body, we therefore request that you kindly release the mortal remains (body) to his/her family members in person of Mulbah P. Gayflor and Wenwolo K. Zayzay for burial or funeral arrangement.”
The communication, dated April 15, 2020 was signed by Deputy Coroner, Montserrado County and approved by Abraham B. Ricks, County Coroner.
Meanwhile, the Better Future Foundation (BFF) has lauded the leadership, including the Youth Chairman and Elders Council of the Christian Community, headed by Chairman Mulbah P. Gayflor, for their cooperation with BFF’s mediation team and has appealed that all parties remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding and look up to the LNP and other relevant constituted authorities for redress of their grievances.
The late Roosevelt Mayango Jallah, was buried on Wednesday, April 15, 2020, at 10 am.
Jallah, born on September 9, 1972, was three when his father died.
He leaves to morn his wife, four biological children, one adopted child with the youngest being two and half years old.
Meanwhile, these accounts which are based on BFF’s Community Peace-building Mediation are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the increased wave of mob and domestic violence occurring in Liberia during the COVID-19 lockdown and the State of Emergency.
For instance in the same Christian Community, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, at about 1:15 a.m., a man believed to be in his early 30s, Fasu Darkpanah, attacked and brutally killed his 78-year-old uncle, Augustus Golen-poller Kolleh, a retired Postmaster of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication, and subsequently stabbed several of his family members, where two identified as Ma Gorpu Kolleh and Lawrence Kolleh are said to be in very critical conditions at a community clinic.
Mr. Henry Kolleh, junior brother of the deceased is appealing to the Government of Liberia and other philanthropists to come to the aid of their family, as the hospital bills under the current COVId-19 pandemic and lockdown is practically un-affordable. “The cutlass wound on Lawrence Kolleh’s head requires advance x-ray and professional medical attention,” Henry further told BFF in his SOS call to the Government of Liberia. In this connection, BFF recommends that efforts to contain the COVID-19 Pandemic by government and partners must equally prioritize the urgent need to contain the proliferation of drugs and other narcotic contrabands and easy access by the youth population in the country; and to further ensure the preservation of human rights, peace and security by swiftly arresting and prosecuting violators of the laws especially those linked to mob justice and gender-based violence.