Saybey Town — Police in Gbarnga have charged and forwarded to court nine persons in connection with the death of Samuel Mulbah, a resident of Saybey Town, Jorquelleh District Two.
The 21-year-old's body was found floating over the Jor Creek with his hands tied on February 22, 2022.
Addressing a news conference Tuesday morning, John Kellenso Flomo, commander of the Crime Services Division of the Liberia National Police Bong Detachment, disclosed the Town Chief of Saybey Town and his deputy admitted ordering several youths of the area to arrest and tie the victim for allegedly assaulting Saturday Kerkulah, another resident of the town.
They alleged that Kerkulah was seen lying unconscious and bleeding after reportedly flogged by Mulbah.
Speaking to a team of reporters following police investigation, the suspects admitted arresting and tying the victim, but denied throwing him into creek.
They claimed Mulbah voluntarily threw himself into the creek while crossing him to the next town in a locally made ferry at about 7pm on February 21, 2022, but felt reluctant to recuse him because it was dark.
They were charged with the crimes of Murder and Criminal Conspiracy.
Accidents galore on Monrovia - Gbarnga highway
Meanwhile, road traffic deaths and injuries remain abnormally high on the Monrovia-Gbarnga highway, according to police . Frequently, scores of commuters suffer disability in auto crashes and others are killed.
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One such accident occurred last week during an unforgiving night trip, incinerating three persons on their way to a program in Gbarnga . They had embarked on the journey to answer the call of their organization when the vehicle they were in skidded off the road, killing three persons instantly and injuring four others.
The numbers are devastating. Data by the the Bong County Chapter of the Liberia National Police paint a frightening reality. The police say at least 12 persons have lost their lives since the start of 2023. This is tragically grim.
The police blame crashes on "speed violation, wrongful overtaking, dangerous overtaking and other factors." It traced 10 per cent of accidents to speed violation; wrongful overtaking on 10 per cent of all accidents. That tells only half of the story.
"Commercial drivers overload their vehicles, engage in excessive speeding, and drive against the traffic. Generally, the bad behavior on the Monrovia-Gbarnga roads is intense - from lawless, reckless, and siren blaring VIPs to the impunity of the security," the police said.
