The Nimba County Detachment of the Liberia National Police (LNP) has arrested three suspected armed robbers believed to be involved in a series of motorcycle thefts and killings.
After a motorcyclist was attacked in a similar area where a previous incident occurred, community members assisted in capturing one of the alleged criminals, leading to the arrest of the others and the seizure of two firearms.
Those arrested, Fombah Sheriff, Patrick Nagbe Jr, 21, Oliver Gibson, 21, Matthew Cooper, 25, are facing charges including criminal conspiracy, murder, and aggravated assault, as they await trial.
LNP Nimba Detachment Commander, ACP Larmie Mendin, told this paper that the men were arrested after they attempted killing another motorcyclist "around the same area where they allegedly killed a 19-year-old Morris Daywon on Seclapea highway in mid December last year.
He said on Friday, February 21, 2025, a motorcyclist was shot from the back by the criminals on Seclapea road during the cover of darkness.
"Victim and those criminals fought over the bike while at the same time the victim was crying for help, but the victim managed to escape from those criminals with his bike and went to the nearby police depot on the same highway, where he fainted upon arrival," he said. "But when the criminals noticed that the community was gathering to come to the rescue of the motorcyclist, they fled into the bushes.
Accordingly, he was turned over to the police and through interrogation he admitted to the police of being behind the waves of killing of cyclists but was not doing it alone.
The culprit, 22-year-old Fombah Sheriff led the police to the their hideout in Gleeyinlu at about 4am on Friday, February 21, 2025 near the place where the first motorcyclist, 21-year-old Patrick Nagbe Jr, was killed on December 1, 2024 and the police was able to arrest the remaining two persons; Oliver Gibson, 21, Mano and Matthew Cooper, 25, Grebo along two single barrel guns.
The wave of killing of motorcyclists led the police in December 2024 to place restrictions on the movement of motorcycles during the night hours, especially from 10pm to 6am.
The restriction stopped the killing until on Friday, February 21, 2025, when an attempted killing of another motorcyclist in the same locality, where the last killing was reported.
However, the three men have been charged with criminal conspiracy to commit murder, criminal facilitation, aggravated assault, murder and among others and they are pending court trial.
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In a separate incident, a woman was arrested for brutally murdering her sister, whom she accused of being a witch. The suspect, suffering from epilepsy, confessed to the crime, claiming her sister had bewitched her.
According to the Commander of LNP Crime Services Division (CSD), Nimba Emmanuel Gruasiay, 52-year-old Koo Nyanaman was killed by her sister, Nohn Lehyer Flomo, 57, on February 2, in the College View Community in Sanniquellie City.
The victim sustained fatal injuries from the attack. The police expressed disappointment in the family's initial reluctance to report the incident, prompting law enforcement to investigate further. It is unclear if any family members will face charges in connection with the case.
The LNP Crime Services Division has sent the suspect court to face trial.
The LNP told the Daily Observer that the victim was chopped with cutlass, inflicting a huge wound on her body, which subsequently led to bleeding and death.
