Liberia: Four Arrested for Alleged Arson in River Cess
One of the houses was set ablaze by an alleged angry mob, after the death of a man Identified as Kollie. So far LNP has arrested four in connection with the incident.
The Liberia National Police (LNP) has arrested and forwarded to court fat least four men for the alleged arson attack on 18 houses in Bodowieh Town, Rivercess County.
Those arrested and forwarded to court include suspect, Ndubuisi Ernest Odbuueshi, a Nigerian national and resident of Bodowieh Town; Prince Doe (aka Five Buck Note), a resident of Garmu Town; Francis Natt (aka Civil Beard), a resident of Cheiwon Town; and Melvin D. Smith of the same address in Rivercess County.
According to the LNP investigative report released to the media over the weekend, the suspects were arrested by the Rivercess County Police Detachment for the alleged commission of the crimes of Manslaughter, Criminal Facilitation, Theft of Property, Robbery and Aiding Consummation of crime.
On March 9, 18 houses were set ablaze by angry crowd in Bodoweihn Town, Rivercess County, in retaliation for the stabbing to death of a man identified as Mark Kollie, a resident of Garmu Town. The stabbing incident took place in a ghetto.
According to the LNP report, during preliminary investigation, it was established that defendants Ndubuisi Ernest Odbueshi, Prince Doe, Francis Natt, and Melvin D. Smith are allegedly linked to the incident.
The LNP report further added that during the investigation, defendant Ndubuisi Ernest Odbueshi, who is believed to be the owner of the ghetto where the incident took place, admitted to stabbing victim (Mark Kollie) with a knife after the victim threatened to kill him (Odubuishi).
According to the report the defendant claimed that the victim had threatened to kill him if he (Ndubuisi Ernest Odbueishi) do not release his bag of L$158,000 cash with narcotic (drugs) valued at L$400,000, 68 grams of gold, gold scale and Infinix Hot-8 phone, valued US$200 to the victim.
The report adds: “Suspect Ndubuisi Ernest Odbueshi further told the investigation that, while he was being attacked by victim Mark Kollie with a knife, suspects Prince Doe, 30 years old and Francis Natt, 36, jumped on him (Kollie) and took away his bag, leaving him with victim Mark Kollie to kill him in order to destroy evidence.”
The report also revealed that defendant Odbueshi further stated that while defendants Prince Doe and Francis Natt took his bag and ran outside, he was left alone to fight with victim Kollie, who wanted to kill him in order to destroy evidence, but he managed to get hold of the weapon (knife) and stabbed the victim on his left side and escaped the scene because of fear.
However “Suspects Prince Doe (aka Five Buck Note) and Francis Natt (aka Civil Beard) were also arrested. During police investigations, they admitted going to suspect Ndubuisi’s house for money he allegedly owed them. They also told the investigation that the victim carried along with him a knife but they, Prince Doe and Francis Natt left both of them in the house fighting and escaped the scene.
“However, during police investigations, a man identified as Melvin D. Smith, who is also held in connection to the incident, was arrested with drugs (Italian white). He told the investigation that he put his hand into suspect Prince Doe’s trouser pocket and made away with the drugs.”
Meanwhile, the LNP said calm has been restored in the area, but it is working in close collaboration with the community watch forum in making sure that those involved in the burning of the 18 houses are made to face the full weight of the law.