The Death of Yormie, Vaye: Accused Threatens to Sue FORUM Editor

Gone are the painful and dreadful moments when two prominent sons of Nimba County and former Deputy Ministers in the Charles Taylor regime, Isaac Vaye and John Yormie met their brutal end, but at every passage of time the instant of wonderment remains pointing to the origin and cause leading to such heinous crime which has deprived the families of the deceased of their once shinning stars.

Yormie and Vaye were said to be elements of an attempted coup led by former President Moses Blah then Vice President to dethrone the government of former President Charles Taylor last June.

The alleged principal coup maker and master-mine, Blah, was set free several weeks later but Vaye and Yormie were pronounced killed in Nimba, when reportedly taken there by Taylor’s most dangerous man, Gen. Benjamin Yeaten, where they were said to be delivered in the care of Gen. Gen. Tiagen Wantee, a one time Liberia’s Ambassador to the Republic of Guinea.

Gen. Wantee, according to a comprehensive report in the June 28, 2004 edition of The Heritage newspaper, “hastily interrogated and declared guilty” these men of the charges leveled against them.

The paper said both men were later driven to the CMC Intersection where they were subsequently executed despite of their vehement expression of innocence of the charges made against them.”

The prolonged and seeming conscious silence of Gen. Wantee since the publication of the story provoked a search by our reporters to search out for the truth, in a bid to find out from Gen. Wantee to find out why his persistent silence on the issue.

Following several unsuccessful attempts by our reporters, Gen. Wantee was bumped into by our editors at his Sinkor 3rd Street shop.

No sooner had our editors reminded Gen. Wantee of the load of allegation on his head, concerning his involvement as “judge” whose verdict led to the execution of Vaye and Yormie, when he (Wantee) began to grow emotionally bitter.
“How many persons will kill this one Yormie,” he asked while foaming with apparent words of insults.

“Tell the Yormie family to take me to court, if they think I killed him.” Turning to one of our editors, he said, “You Shelton, I have discovered that you are related to Yormie; that is why you are tailing me, but I will sue you if you write such a story,” Gen. Wantee threatened.

Our reporters observed that Gen. Wontee hates to see any journalists resurrecting the Yormie, Vaye’s death story. They observed also the dragging tongue of the General and his reluctance to address himself adequately to the allegation made against him instead, has adopted using black snake tactic by growing furious and threatening court action.

In any case, history continues to bear his name as per the allegation against him, and if not properly addressed, concerned citizens of Nimba, yea Liberia who are demanding justice, Gen. Wantee stands to face the dagger of marginalization in society.