The NEWS (Monrovia)

Liberia: 'Benjamin Yeaten Was Not Natural'

Monrovia — A former special forces of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) who was responsible for training has x-rayed a child soldier he trained, who later became a deadly commander, perhaps the second persons during the regime of former President Charles Taylor.

Feared former Special Security Services (SSS), Director, Gen. Benjamin Yeaten alias 'Chief 50' was trained as a child soldier prior to the launch of the NPFL bush war on December 24, 1989.

Perhaps former President Moses Blah did not know he was training a lethal weapon that could even hunt him.

The former president told an audience Monday that Yeaten, a child soldier, recruited and trained in Libya became so powerful and wicked to the extent that former President Taylor and other Special Forces feared him.

"Yeaten was so powerful; he did things that natural human could not do," Blah admitted.

He disclosed that Yeaten killed his own wife without anyone including former President Taylor questioning him.

Blah: "I was scare of the boy; he killed several other persons."

Blah, in a statement at the on-going Truth and Reconciliation Commission, linked Yeaten to the killing of some prominent citizens including Sam Dokie, John Yormie and Isaac Vaye.

Although Blah disclosed he was in jail when Vaye and Yormie were killed but indicated that it was rumored that Yeaten had a hand in their killings.

He also indicated that it was Yeaten who nearly cost his life when he lied that he attempted overthrowing Taylor in 2003.

Mr. Blah also narrated how Yeaten killed Sam Bockerie in Nimba County and displayed his mutilated body for him to see.

He disclosed that he saw Yeaten and Bockerie few hours prior to the latter's death in Toweh Town where he hailed.

He indicated that Yeaten told him that he was taking Bockerie and some bodyguards on a tour of towns along the Liberian-Ivorian border but later heard that he had been killed by Yeaten who confirmed and displayed the dead body.

Yeaten, according to the former president, also killed Bockeria's wife whom he saw along with the fighters that day.

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