Liberia: Missing Child’s Lifeless Body Discovered in Harper

On July 20, was a scene of public anger as hundreds of citizens in Harper, Maryland County took to the streets demanding the appearance of an eight-year-old boy who has been missing since July 18th.

The 8-year-old Levi Koffa went missing on Monday. Reports say the boy left his home on Monday for school and did not return.  Prior to the discovery of his lifeless body, citizens in Harper, Maryland County launched a vigorous search campaign for little Levi Koffa but could not find him.

For two days, citizens and family members continued their search on every street and corner of Harper District hoping to find him alive. It was at about 1:00 pm on July 20th, that Levi’s lifeless body was discovered in the Lake Shepard community.

The Liberia National Police (LNP) Maryland County detachment says it is leaving no stone unturned to investigate the death of little Koffa in the county. The mysterious death of Levi has put residents of Harper District in a state of fear and great caution since this is the second mysterious death in the county this month alone. 

On July 3, the lifeless body of Anthony Tiaka, a senior student of William V.S. Tubman University, was discovered in his room in the Zone five community in Pleebo City, Maryland. Since the demise of Student Tiaka, local authorities are yet to explain the cause of his death, the citizens said.

Maryland County Superintendent, George Andrew Prowd has ensured that a pathologist will be provided to conduct an autopsy on the lifeless body of the late Tiaka. But residents of the county say they are still waiting.

“We are therefore urging the government of Liberia to do everything possible to conduct an investigation to bring the perpetrators to light,” the concerned citizens are saying. “We are tired of being murdered constantly in Maryland, our lives aren't secure anymore.”

Meanwhile, plans for the celebration of Liberia’s 175th Independence Day in Maryland County have been canceled by the county authority.

 Speaking to journalists in a press conference on a local radio station, Prowd said the decision was reached by the county authority due to the deaths of Anthony Tiaka on July 3 in Pleebo and Levi Koffa on July 18 in Harper. 

 He described the deaths as “a serious blow to the county” and said it would be inappropriate for the county to be mourning and at the same time be celebrating Independence Day (July 26).

Prowd used the opportunity to highlight the lack of logistics for the LNP Maryland detachment, which he said poses a serious security threat to the county.

“The LNP is doing regular patrol in the communities in the county due to the lack of vehicles. Since the one and only vehicle owned by the LNP was destroyed in March 2021 during a protest in the county, the police have been without logistics,” the Superintendent disclosed.

Meanwhile, Prowd has called on the central government to provide logistics for the police in the county to enhance their work.

“I was happy when I heard in the news that a new pickup was turned over to police in Ganta, Nimba County and it is my prayer that this will be extended to Maryland County,” he said.

Prowd is also calling on the bereaved families and the citizens of the county to remain calm as the government is doing everything possible to investigate the deaths of the two students from both Pleebo and Harper.