MONROVIA – A 23-year-old man who is accused of stabbing to death a three-year-old child in Rivercess County in retaliation to the child’s father’s refusal to refund his money has been arrested, Adolphus Brown, the county attorney has told FrontPageAfrica.
Friday Zian, alias ‘Bill’ was arrested on August 11, a day after he repeatedly stabbed to death little Hannah Pewee, but law enforcers in the county are shielding the suspect to avoid potential mob violence, Brown said.
“We have to be careful giving out information about the location of the suspect to,” he said, adding “we don’t have enough police officers to contain the crowd when we disclose the whereabouts of the suspect.”
“But I can confirm the suspect has been arrested and is in police custody pending investigation,” he said. As we speak, the man has been arrested but because of security reasons we cannot disclose where we are keeping him”.
Bill took matters into his own hands when he reportedly stabbed the minor multiple times before her death because her dad had refused to pay him his money, and fled the scene before his reported arrest.
Hannah’s death has sparked outrage among locals in the county, with residents calling on the police to arrest and bring to book the accused.
Brown, speaking to FrontPageAfrica said: “We will send for experts from Monrovia to be part of the case. This case has drawn the attention of people. To have a baby girl to be slaughtered like that, we can assure the public that this case will not go free, and when he is found guilty, he will be sent to Zwedru, where he will spend the rest of his life in prison.”
He added: “Nobody imagined that someone could murder a three-year-old child because of mere disagreement with her father.”
Brown added: “Imagine the suspect kept saying “your father owing my money and doesn’t want to pay while at the same time murdering the little girl. Who in this world could be so brave like that.”
“She is was an innocent child that didn’t know what was going on between her father and Bill, but became the victim. The county is working to ensure that the suspected killer of little Hannal Pewee is brought to book.”
“We want the picture of the crime scene –even the transaction
between the father of the girl and the guy, what led him to his action and everything we need as investigators so that the prosecutors can have real evidence to prosecute him,” Attorney Brown said.
Meanwhile, the child’s father, Yarkpazua Pewee, who’s the pastor of the Amazing Fire Ministry, was out of words while weeping for his “beloved daughter”.