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Liberia: Ritualistic Killing in Lofa
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The Inquirer (Monrovia)
10 March 2008
Posted to the web 10 March 2008
Three persons have been linked and arrested in Zorzor District to the murder of a 13-year old student of the Kpassagizia Public School for ritualistic purposes.
According to an uncle of the late Vewu Kezelee, the horrified corpse of Vewu showed that he was stabbed with a sharp instrument on his neck while his blood was drained out for ritualistic purposes
Mr. Eric Gbelee said that the boy usually spent the day after school hours in the village helping his parents to plant peanuts. Mr. Gbelee who traveled from Lofa County to tell the story concerning the mysterious death of his nephew narrated that on February 11, 2008, Tetaima, the grandmother of Vewu took the other children and headed to town leaving the boy with her husband Forkpayea Paipai in the village to follow later.
Mr Gbelee said Mr. Paipai who is now being held as one of the suspects said he too left the boy to follow instructing him that he was going to tap his palm wine and that the road leading to the palm tree was too bad and that the boy would not be able to cross due to several trees that have been cut down in the area.
The uncle said the wine tree in question is located 15 minutes from the town along a creek in the same direction but Paipai who left the deceased behind after reaching the town failed to reach his house but instead stopped at a friend's house in the town to drink wine.
Having reached home at about 10:00 P.M., he (Paipai) inquired from his family the whereabouts of the late Vewu but was told that he had not returned tom the village.
Paipai then began the search for the little boy who according to them had not been out alone till nightfall. He then reported the matter to the town chief and elders of the town at which time an emergency bell was rung to alert able bodied men concerning the mysterious disappearance of his son to help in a rigorous search of the boy.
The search began with Paipai directing the group while he headed a two-man team but having walked just three minutes away from the village; he found the corpse of Vewu on the ground and grabbed his team mate saying that he was in trouble because the boy's body was discovered with his (Paipai) knife on his side.
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Others were called by his team mate but according to Eric, Vewu's body showed that he fought his assassins but was overpowered.
Gbelee said that the information has already been forwarded to the security of the district while those already arrested were Paipai, Tetaima and Tarnue Pewu, the man who passed through the village the night the incident occurred.
The body of Vewu has since been buried by the townsmen upon instructions from the county security while the three suspects are presently in custody and the Kpassagizia town chief Kpadehyea Yanquoi and clan Chief Zuba Korlor have been picked up by the security to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Investigation continues.
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