Liberia: Family of ‘Murdered’ Man, 20, Rejects Police Findings

The family of a 20-year-old man, Walla Vah, who died on December 1, 2022, while in detention at the Smell No Taste Police Depot, Margibi County, has accused authorities of the Liberian National Police (LNP) of foul-play about their son's death.

The family, through its lawyer, Cllr. James N. Kumeh, has written to Justice Minister Musah Dean, expressing regret over the investigative report from the LNP‘s Professional Standard Division and thereby demanding an independent investigation of the circumstances of Vah's death.

The family has also refused to accept a proposal from the police to remove Vah's body from the John F. Kennedy Memorial Hospital for burial, in the absence of the independent panel's findings.

Vah's lifeless body, according to his older sister Princess Nimely, was discovered handcuffed on his hands, and lying alongside the Duside Waterside in the New Dolo Town Community, in Margibi County. The discovery was made a day after the deceased was seen arrested and handcuffed by three police officers, including, Sergeant Peter Kayeah, Corporal Emmanuel Dolo, and Patrolman Stephen Nimely, on November 30, 2022.

In its report, the LNP professional standards division exonerated the three officers of any wrongdoing, citing Cllr. Kumeh's communication dated January 24, 2023, which was sent to Justice Minister Dean.  

"We herewith attach copies of the deceased's photos with handcuffs on his hands for your easy perusal and anticipate your prompt and urgent action in this endeavor, as we both strive to propagate one of the pillars of the Government of Liberia's Pro-Poor agenda for prosperity and development by protecting the lives and properties of every Libercitizen,zens regardless of their status in society," a portion of Cllr. Kumeh’s letter said. 

Minutes after presenting the letter to Minister Dean, the older sister of the deceased, Princess Nimely, while in conversation with judicial reporters, claimed, “They’re lying. They're telling lies. Everything is a lie ... no matter what they say, we will not agree to bury Vah unless an independent body investigates his murder.”

Explaining the circumstances surrounding Vah's death, Nimely raised several claims and allegations, pointing towards officers Kayeah, Dolo, and Nimely.

She explained further that on the night of November 30, the deceased and his friends went to a nightclub named 29, in the Dolo Town Community, to celebrate the victim's 20th birthday.

When Vah and his friends arrived at the club, Ms. Nimely who quoted the victim friends, said they saw the officers cheesing a man only identified as "21" who the accused claimed had stolen a cell phone 

"21" Ms. Nimely further revealed the deceased's friends by running toward where Vah and his friends were standing. But, when the police reached the area where Vah and his friends were standing, and could not see "21" anywhere around, they decided to arrest the victim.

Unfortunately, while attempting to arrest the deceased, he (deceased) decided to escape after hearing from officer Dolo that they were going to jail him at the Boduwin Central Prison in the area.

"Vah decided to run from the officers who had planned to arrest and take him to the Boduwin Central Prison. Later the officers ran after the deceased and arrested him," Ms. Nimely quoted Vah's friends. "Dolo slapped the deceased in his face and they handcuffed him and took him to the Smell No Taste Police Depot. ".

Minutes after presenting the letter to Minister Dean, the older sister of the deceased, Princess Nimely, while in conversation with judicial reporters claimed, “They’re lying. They're telling lies. Everything is a lie ... no matter what they say we will not agree to bury Vah unless an independent body investigates his murder. "

Explaining circumstances surrounding Vah's death, Ms. Nimely raised several claims and allegations, pointing towards officers Kayeah, Dolo and Nimely.

Ms. Nimely further explained that on the night of November 30, the deceased and his friends went to a nightclub named 29, in the Dolo Town Community, to celebrate the victim's 20th birthday.

When Vah and his friends arrived at the club, Ms. Nimely who quoted the victim’s friends said they saw the officers cheesing a man only identified as "21" who the accused claimed had stolen a cell phone.

"21" Ms. Nimely further quoted the deceased friends running toward where Vah and his friends were standing. But, when the police reached to where Vah and his friends were standing, and could not see "21" anywhere around they decided to arrest the victim.

But, unfortunately while attempting to arrest the deceased, he (deceased) decided to escape after hearing from officer Dolo that they were going to jail the deceased at the Boduwin Central Prison in the area.

"Vah decided to run from the officers who had planned to arrest and take him to the Boduwin Central Prison. Later the officers ran after the deceased and arrested him," Ms. Nimely quoted Vah's friends. “Dolo slapped the deceased in his face and they handcuffed him and took him to the Smell No Taste Police Depot. ".“How did my brother die? Where did the handcuffed on his hands come from? And who laid the body at the Duside Waterside in the New Dolo Town Community? We need answers to these questions before any burial can take place"the deceased sister vowed to reach at the bottom of her brother's death.