Sierra Leonean national Thomas S. Lahun, 28, has provided what he called his first account to investigators into the sudden death of his girlfriend, Annette Y. Suah, 25, whose body was found in his room in Gaye Town, Old Road, Sinkor.
Suah, a mother of two, was reportedly discovered lifeless under a bed in Lahun's room after relatives said she had been missing for about two days.
Family sources identified Suah as a Matadi resident and businesswoman. They said she went to visit Lahun and did not return home. Her relatives are demanding justice, citing the circumstances surrounding her untimely death.
Speaking in an emotional account, Lahun alleged that Suah's death may have followed the use of shisha, a method of smoking flavored tobacco, often mixed with molasses or honey, through a waterpipe. The substance has been banned in Liberia.
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"I loved Annette and didn't want anything to happen to her," Lahun said. "She came to me and wanted to smoke shisha. Because she had health complications, I told her I didn't want her to smoke, but she insisted, so we smoked together before going to the house."
"We smoked shisha that cost 10 US dollars, and we ate food that cost 700 Liberian dollars. When we got to the house, she started experiencing serious breathing problems. I got confused and hid her under the bed," he claimed.
He told investigators that Suah had an underlying medical condition and suggested that smoke exposure could trigger breathing complications.
According to him, shortly after they smoked, Suah began struggling to breathe. "She tried to recover, but after a few attempts, she just passed out," he added.
Lahun claimed Suah struggled briefly before collapsing and becoming unresponsive.
He admitted that he did not seek immediate medical help. Instead, he said fear and panic overtook him and he placed her body under the bed.
"I was scared. I didn't know what to do," he said, claiming panic prevented him from calling for help.
He said the body remained in the room until he later informed a relative, who urged him to report the matter to police. Authorities subsequently took him into custody.
Meanwhile, the Liberia National Police (LNP) Zone 3 Detachment in Congo Town confirmed that Lahun later turned himself in and is cooperating with investigators.
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At the John F. Kennedy Medical Center (JFK), Public Relations Officer Emmanuel Cole Jr. said the hospital is not authorized to publicly release medical reports in cases such as this, particularly when police investigations are ongoing.
"Yes, the deceased was admitted, but in a situation like this we are not authorized to make any report public," Cole said briefly when asked whether JFK's records align with Lahun's account.
In August last year, the Ministry of Health announced a nationwide ban on the use of shisha and unlicensed tramadol, citing the escalating drug epidemic in Liberia.
Lahun's account has drawn mixed reactions in the public, with some expressing outrage over how the matter was handled, while others are urging patience as medical and legal findings are awaited.
