Saylee was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
The suspects have been identified by police as Henry Flomo and Francis Kollie. They claimed to be officers of the Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA) Bong County Detachment, police sources have said.
The Chief of the Crime Services Division (CSD) of the Liberian National Police Bong County Detachment, Alvin James, told the Daily Observer that said Saylee was allegedly flogged by the two men on suspicion of smoking marijuana and allegations of resisting arrest.
Inspector James, however, did not say in which capacity the arrested men flogged the victim. According to him, the incident occurred at about 11:45 p.m. Wednesday night. He said the victim was arrested at an entertainment center in Gbarnga and cuffed by the “DEA agents”.
Reports have it that the vehicle -- bearing plate # BP-2258 -- conveying Saylee and other passengers to Grand Gedeh County, had made a brief stopover at a local entertainment center to afford the driver a chance to grab a cup of hot hatai before embarking on the long-distance journey. It is locally believed that consuming hatai at night helps to keep drivers wide-awake and energized to safely embark on distant journeys.
Joseph Bornor, a passenger onboard the vehicle and an eyewitness, told this newspaper that after the vehicle stopped, Saylee and the driver went behind the entertainment center to smoke. Bornor, however, could not tell exactly the kind of cigarette the two people were smoking.
However, Festus Johnson, another passenger, said while he and other passengers were helping themselves with cups of hot hatai, they suddenly heard a loud noise from the back of the shop.
“By the time we got on the scene, we noticed Fred J. Saylee being severely flogged by two gentlemen claiming to be DEA officers. Then we realized that Saylee had even been cuffed by the DEA agents,” passenger Johnson explained.
“The DEA agents,” Johnson continued, “later demanded that we give them US$600 before they can let go of the victim.”
“We rallied among ourselves (passengers) and were only able to raise about L$600. But that didn’t work for them. And after realizing that the victim was unconscious, the DEA agents got on a motorbike marked “DEA” in bold letters and off they went,” Johnson further narrated.
Johnson said the passengers then rushed Saylee to the Phebe Hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival by medical doctors.
Meanwhile, the perpetrators, during preliminary police interrogation, admitted to flogging the deceased on his left and right arms. They denied ever flogging the victim as severely as being claimed by passengers and other eyewitnesses. They have also told the police that their action was prompted by the victim’s alleged refusal to submit to the DEA authority.
For his part, Francis informed the police that it was his colleague, Henry, who opted to flog the victim with his baton. But Henry has categorically denied his colleague’s allegation against him. He, too, has accused his colleague, Francis, of flogging Saylee.
Narrating his side of the story, Francis Kollie said, “After the car stopped, the driver and one of the passengers disembarked the vehicle and went behind the shop. There, they started smoking marijuana. I went there and saw them smoking. I disguised myself and asked them to smoke with them. The passenger, Fred J. Saylee, gave me the marijuana he was smoking. ‘You are under arrest’ I told him. But he (Saylee) refused to submit to arrest.”
Meanwhile, the Acting DEA Commander of Bong County, Matthew Mouwon, has informed the Daily Observer that the suspects are rather “informants” of the Detachment; ruling out the claim by the two men that they were employees of the Agency.
In related development, police in Salala, Bong County, are currently investigating a 33-year-old man, identified as Alfred Dellond, in connection with illegal possession of firearms and narcotic drugs.
“He has been charged with illegal possession of firearms, illegal possession and sales of narcotics and sent to court,” Police Spokesman George Bardue said in a briefing.
According to the Police Spokesman, suspect Dellond was arrested Sunday, March 25, 2012 at the Salala Check Point by the Joint security in possession of three single barrel pistols and a bag of marijuana. He was arrested while on his way from Gbarnga to Harbel on board a commercial vehicle.
In another development, a train traveling from Yekepa to Buchanan hit a pedestrian, identified as Junior Alex, in Panta District. The pedestrian was crossing the rail road when the accident occurred.
As a result of the accident, the victim sustained a broken right leg and was later pronounced dead by doctors at Phebe Hospital upon arrival.
The victim’s corpse is being preserved at the St. Kennedy Funeral Home, awaiting recovery of the train operator who is also admitted at Government Hospital in Grand Bassa County.
