Monrovia – Living in the notorious Sugar Hill Community of the commercial district of Red Light is terrifying amid strong wave of criminal activities. Narcotic substances are sold at every corner in this rundown shantytown.
Infamous Live in Garbage
Sugar Hill Community is not only infamous for its criminal activities but its mountain pile of garbage as well, which has become a looming health hazard not only for inhabitants but also those who conduct business activity in the bustling area. Despite efforts by the past government to crush the Sugar Hill Criminal Gang over the years, the situation is worsening.
During the regime of former President Taylor, efforts were exerted to get rid of criminal hotspots in Sugar Hill. It proved futile. In 2005, a riled up group of market women stood up to the ganging of marauding criminals, leaving five persons dead.
“Sugar Hill has been very bad from time to time and so, so bad people can go over there. You can find Rogue, street girls, and sometimes some of our own Police people go there to drink alcohol or smoke opium,” said Madam Etta Diggs, a longtime marketer in Red Light.
She furthered: “Since I left Rivercess and came to Paynesville, those criminals — I mean foolish criminals — attacked me two times. I can’t pass through that area again.
The first time my son, they took all my small business money from me in the night right after selling. Another time, I came from meeting in Barnesville, while passing through that area, I saw group of guys around me asking me to give them everything I had. They took my phone and hand bag with two thousand in it and no one came to my rescue”.
Madam Diggs also condemned the state of security affairs within the Red-light Market, noting that there has been no improvement in the security of the area despite the presence of the Police.
Reporting: Willie Tokpah
