Two Pardoned Treason Convicts In Liberia Refute Allegation

By: C. Winnie Saywah

The Inquirer
Monrovia, Liberia

Distributed by

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

May 16, 2003

To apparently refute a story as published in the Monday May 10 edition and back page lead of the New Liberia Newspaper, two of the 10 treason convicts who benefited from the Presidents magnanimous gesture of clemency some months back, have spoken in Monrovia.

According to that back lead story under the caption, "Paulson Gartay, Edward Slangar Again", those who were granted clemency besides Mr. James Chelly and Armah Youlu, continue to seek the downfall of the government from either their bases in self-imposed exile or the battle-front for LURD.

The story further continued that among those who were granted Presidential pardon and have taken up arms against the government and people of Liberia are Edward Slangar, Edward Hammond, Washington Garley, among others.

Reacting sharply to the news story, two of the 10 pardoned treason convicts, Messrs Patrick Worjloh and Joseph Hammond disclosed that although some ex-convicts who were granted clemency are in the bushes while some are in exile, they have remained here and continue to be in the country.

Mr. Hammond who walked into the offices of The INQUIRER along with Mr. Worjloh, said the story contained in the New Liberia Newspaper, that besides Mr. Youlu and Chelly, all the other pardoned convicts are against the government and people of Liberia is false and misleading.

He clarified that amongst those granted clemency, he is the only person named Hammond therefore, he does not know who is the Edward Hammond mentioned in the story, but knows that he (Joseph Hammond) has never left the country since his release.

For his part, Mr. Worjloh said he was taken aback by the story adding, "I have never even trarelled to Paynesville neither have I passed the St. Paul Bridge since my release".

He said, he is enjoying life in the country just as any other free Liberian. Therefore he wants the government and the international community to know that since indeed Liberia is the only country he has, he will remain here until things are put into place.

Meanwhile, Messrs Hammond and Worjloh have said that they absolutely do not believe in violence nor arm struggle eventhough they were victims of a collective guilt, and reiterated that they have no intention of fighting the government nor leaving the country.


© 2003: This article is copyrighted by The Inquirer newspaper (Monrovia, Liberia) and distributed by The Perspective (Atlanta, Georgia). All rights reserved.