MONROVIA – Retired Mayor Martha K. Faryen, formerly of the Liberia National Police (LNP), is entering the New Year with one serious resolution — the safety of her life.
Martha, who is a resident of the Borough of New Kru Town on the Bushrod Island, worked in the records and documentation section of the police.
“My brother called me before the New Year that strange guys visited the community. They want to know where I currently stay. I believe those are the same guys, who have been after my life.
“My immediate family knows my whereabouts. So I don’t know what they want from me. I am just afraid for my life,” said Martha, who currently lives in the United States of America for fears that some unknown individuals are after her life.
Some former combatants are after her life because she denied them police clearances when she served as deputy head of its records and documentation section, thus denying the applicants the opportunity to leave Liberia.
Martha denied the applicants clearances on the basis of their criminal records, including murder, rape, sexual harassment and other forms of heinous crimes against humanity, which were committed during the civil war in Liberia.
They wanted to leave Liberia with such criminal records and some still work in the current security sector despite a reform process carried out by the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).
The ex-combatants, neighbors alleged, had been making several attempts to settle scores with Martha until 1 October 2019 when they set her home ablaze, which she took years to build.
Neighbors said they heard the perpetrators saying, “She refused to give us police clearance, which denied us traveling opportunity. So we will end her life tonight.”
There has been no arrest made by the LNP since the terrible incident as Martha’s children and grandchildren escaped to an unknown destination.
Before her departure to the United States, Martha escaped several death threats at the hands of the alleged criminals.
Martha is already suffering from the trauma of losing her husband and children as a result of the civil war in Liberia.
Asked whether she will ever return to Liberia, Martha said she would love to return to her country of birth but it has become a fearful task in her life amid these terrible situations.
“Her children and grandchildren were in the house that burnt on 1 October 2019 and we are still trying to locate them following the incident,” a neighbor lamented.
According to a closed neighbor, the alleged criminals extorted US$300 from the children before burning the house.
Martha’s children and grandchildren returned from Ivory Coast in September 2019 and were residing in the house when the incident occurred.
She said the former combatants are resilient in their attempts to kill her, having burnt down her residence.