Monrovia – John Tarpeh, alias ‘Ebu,’ has been charged with murder following his arrest for being part of a gang. The gang allegedly murdered a land administrator in the Township of Johnsonville, outside Monrovia on March 22, 2018.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian, [email protected]
Police said other accomplices of Tarpeh to be identified including: Mike alias Emmett Hoff, Solo Edward Gibson alias Pepper Wolo, Bowlekey, Mandingo Papay and others, who are said to be on the run. They have been also been charged with murder in-absentia in violation of sub-chapter A, Section 14.1 of the Revised Penal Law of Liberia.
The lone defendant, Tarpeh, 29, was forwarded to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice, Wednesday, April 4, and was later transferred to the Monrovia Central Prison pending prosecution while police hunt for the rest of the defendants.
On the charge sheet obtained by this newspaper, the Liberia National Police (LNP) indicated that during preliminary investigation, Alexander Slocum alias Alex (victim) 46, residence of Bardnesville and administrator of the Slocum Estate located in Johnsonville Building for Tomorrow Community along with Samuel Benson and Toniah Buxton, a land surveyor, on Monday, March 19, 2018 about 9:45 ante meridian, had gone to the community with the aim of buying a parcel of land from Alex.
Before the men’s departure, both surveyor Buxton and Alex were in phone communication until they met at the Dujare College ‘Blue Mission’ and boarded a motorbike together as they proceeded to the land.
The police further stated in their narrative on the charge sheet that upon their arrival, the men inspected the land.
According to the police, as the three men were about to depart, they saw three men armed with machetes coming towards them. They said that when the armed men approached Buxton, Benson and Alex, they began to hit Alex with the sharp objects; this made Benson and Buxton, the surveyor, to flee.
The police said as Benson fled, he recognized John Tarpeh as one of those men, who attacked and killed Alex.
According to the police, when the news of what had happened to Alex reached his family members, they (family) decided to go there and search for him.
During the family search, according to the police charge sheet, a new grave was discovered on the land. They alerted the police who came in and dug the grave.
The corpse was exhumed and it was identified to be Alex Slocum by his cousin Charles Slocum.
Also during the investigation with the defendant “Ebu” who was represented by his lawyer Atty. Jallah Zumo, police claimed he denied any involvement or even knowing any of the accused.
However, he claimed that he was around the crime scene doing a contract for someone and his car was burned in the process but he never reported the incident to the police.
The police also revealed that during the visit at the work places of the other suspects, all of them had fled to unknown locations.
“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing facts and circumstances coupled with the admission of defendant Tarpeh and eye witnesses’ accounts, the investigation resolved to charge the defendant with murder in violation of sub-chapter A, section 14.1 of the Penal Law while the other defendants on the run are also charged with similar charges in absentia,” said the police said.