Liberia: Man Missing from ‘Prayer Band’ Found Dead in River

The lifeless body of 45-year-old Joseph Blama, who went missing for several days following a quest for deliverance from a popular Prayer Warrior, Martha Doe, has been discovered with parts allegedly extracted.

The lifeless body of Blama was discovered in Dwehn’s Town on the St. John River, Grand Bassa County. Blama went missing on March 25, in St. John City, Grand Bassa County after 25 members of Madam Martha Doe’s prayer band gathered for prayer. 

The popular prayer warrior Martha Doe, who resides in Buchanan, invited Blama to her Prayer Band in St. John City, in the name of deliverance to enable him to get a job. Blama’s widow, Madam Asatu Blama, confirmed to reporters that the lifeless body was her husband, adding that parts were allegedly extracted.

The cause of death is yet unknown as she reportedly indicated that, after more than a month of searching, her husband is dead without any explanation. It can be recalled that Madam Martha Doe and 12 others were jailed by the Liberian National Police for more than four days before the lifeless body of Joseph Blama was discovered.

Madam Doe, who is a popular prayer warrior in Buchanan and a major suspect in the mysterious disappearance of Joseph Blama, was released from jail along with 12 others on the alleged orders of Senator Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence. Upon her release, she told reporters early Friday morning: “We all prayed and went to sleep, but later we heard a sound like people breaking into the place.”

Madam Doe regretted that Joseph Blama could not be seen, adding that she immediately informed the police and the St. John City Mayor James E. Brooks. “Soon as I told Mayor James Brooks, he told me to tell the police that the man was a criminal and I said no, I brought him to this prayer band.”

Madam has expressed sadness over the mysterious death of the man who came to her for prayers, but linked the Mayor of St. John City to the mysterious death. 

However, Mayor James E. Brooks in an interview with reporters admitted that the incident occurred in his municipality. Brooks admitted to reporters that he and Madam Martha Doe interacted, but clarified that he told her to say it’s a criminal attitude after the incident occurred.

Before Blama was discovered, the Crime Services Division of the Liberia National Police Bassa detachment found the phones, and white underwear, believed to be the property of the deceased, in a bush a distance away from where the prayer band was held.

Meanwhile, Grand Bassa Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence told our reporter that the Prayer Warrior and 12-others were released based on consultation with the Justice Minister.

“Madam Doe and 12 others were jailed for four days without being charged and so I contacted the Justice Minister and he alluded to the fact that, once the man was still missing, they could not have charged the alleged suspects,” Senator Karnga-Lawrence said.

“I immediately spoke with the wife of the missing man before calling the police to release those behind bars.”

Senator Karnga-Lawrence mentioned that Prayer Warrior Doe and 12-others were instructed to report to the police headquarters daily, which they did until the body was recently discovered. However, the Senator confirmed that the Blama’s widow was invited to her house in Buchanan and they talked.

Expressing regret over the mysterious death of Joseph Blama, she said that she has “been speaking with the widow. Now that the missing man is dead, I will meet the wife again to ensure that proper investigation is conducted into the mysterious death.”