Liberia: Sen. Dillon’s Security Guard on the Run after Beating Man to Unconsciousness
MONROVIA – A security guard assigned to Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon has severely brutalized a middle-aged man for reportedly intercepting the harassment of his girlfriend.
The victim identified as Friday Saryon was beaten by Joe Golo on the Chicken Soup Factory Road in Gardnesville, outside Monrovia.
The victim was hospitalized and several stitches were done to close the multiple wounds he sustained on his face, hands, and other parts of his body.
Joe is reported to have obtained martial arts skills.
The incident occurred around 8:30 PM on Sunday, April 24.
According to an eyewitness account, Joe had sent one of his friends to call his girlfriend of Friday, who was walking towards the road when the incident occurred.
Joe was seen with two of his friends, including Robert who is a police officer.
The lady left her boyfriend Friday and made her way to purchase a soft drink when she was approached by Robert, the friend of Joe.
Friday was reportedly walking behind his girlfriend when he saw and heard Robert requesting her to go and meet his “boss man” Joe who has sent for her.
The eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that Friday’s girlfriend refused the call, something which prompted her boyfriend to intervene.
“I passed by Joe about 30 seconds and I heard the noise at the back. I went back and I saw Friday and Joe exchanging words. I asked what was happening and Joe said ‘this pekin wants to misbehave because of woman business. I asked Friday why Joe was holding his shirt and his two police friends were holding Friday’s girlfriend”.
“Joe had sent Robert to call Friday’s girlfriend not knowing that Friday was walking behind the girl. But the girl refused and said ‘who told you I looking for man? I got man already’ and the officer said ‘but you want to misbehave or your man better than somebody?”
Friday later walked toward Robert and his girlfriend to discourage further conversation between them.
Within that time, Joe, who was standing nearby, reportedly rushed to the scene to inquire from the victim why he was preventing the lady from meeting him.
“Friday told his girlfriend for them to go, but Joe said ‘I talking to you and you want misbehave or cuss somebody here?’ He and Friday started to exchange words and Joe jumped on Friday to fight”.
The eyewitness disclosed that Joe later got more infuriated to carry out the lawless act of brutality against Friday when he was recognized by onlookers to be the security of Senator Dillon.
Though the suspect was requested by his colleagues and others to stand down, Joe did not listen but mercilessly brutalized the victim.
“Robert and others told Joe to leave Friday, but the people on the scene said ‘this is Dillon security; they feel that they can do anything they feel like doing’. Joe and Friday got into a heavy and serious fight; hitting one another hard. But Joe had the strength and he overpowered Friday and punched him in the face several times”.
“When the situation got worst, people came around and removed Joe from there and took the man to the hospital. To admit, Friday went off (unconscious) and Joe was heard saying “Y’all leave me let me beat this man and nothing will come out of it”.
The eyewitness maintained that Joe later escaped the scene for an unknown destination when the case was reported to the LPRC Police Station in the same vicinity by some family members of the victim.
“I didn’t see any injury sustained by Joe. Like I said, he overpowered and beat Friday badly,” the eyewitness said.
Dillon response
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Senator Dillon announced the immediate suspension of his security, Joe Golo as a result of the incident.
“It has been brought to my attention that my Security Officer, Joe Golo, was involved into a fist fight with two persons Sunday evening whilst he was off duty. I am told both parties to the fist fight sustained injuries. I do not know the details yet as to the cause, but any act of violence and brutality is very unfortunate, totally unacceptable and condemned”.
He emphasized that his security Joe is not above the Law because he is assigned to and works for him.
Senator Dillon clarified that Joe was not on duty when the incident occurred.
“He (Joe) was neither protecting me at the time nor was I there. I am only just being informed. He was not acting and did not act upon my instruction. I am hereby indefinitely suspending Joe pending full investigation, and the Law must take its course. I am sorry about the incident; I will personally reach out to the families today”.
Joe is currently on the run.
All efforts to contact the Police Chief Superintendent for Garndesville Blama Yancy did not materialize as his phone rang ceaselessly without any response.