From Sweet Land of Liberty to a Fearful Land of Terror

The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
April 2, 2022

Princess Cooper Photo: Courtesy of FPA

When the people themselves become judges, juries, prosecutors, Executioners, Lawyers, and police; fearless of the rules of the laws, gangsterism, mysterious death, and mob violence become the order of the day.

Let me begin by extending my deepest condolences to families, friends, and loved ones of the victims and to everyone who has lost a loved one under mysterious circumstances without redress – The perpetrators have been allowed to walk with impunity. How did we get here? l don't know what our country has turned into. Many unsolved and Mysterious deaths have engulfed this Sweet Land of Liberty and it has increased fear, insecurity, and heightened panic amongst the general citizenry. Our people are living in a state of fear and rising crimes – No responsible Government would sit and allow its citizens to gallop in rising fear without any sense of restoring the lost hope and peace her citizens are yarning for when the guns are silent!

The Government of the day is a Mafia one, their actions and inactions have shown how irresponsible, and reckless they're in executing their responsibilities responsibly, they do not care about our People – They're pretty good at looting the state's resources, living an extravagant lifestyle in the pool of arrogance and bigotry while the majority wanton in backwardness, and the Nation retrogress in the abyss of the Septic-tank and economic decadence. The mysterious deaths of Princess Cooper, 25, and  Melvin Togba, 36, both of which occurred on March 24, 2022, have joined the long list of unsolved cases in recent times. We must accept that in every country Citizens die mysteriously. Murders do occur. But the governments have a sacred duty in solving it – to apprehend the murders and ensure that speedy Investigations are out and if found guilty, he/she can be punished as per crimes committed to serving as precedence and deterrence to those who tomorrow might want to commit crimes – they will be on the alert and cautious! But in LIBERIA, Perpetrators are encouraged to do more only because of the big hands that are always behind such actions. With that, yet still, we don't trust the Weah led administration with this – they've no history of bringing perpetrators to book. They've lots of Untrained and salaries delayed Police!

And the question is "How did we get here" from my research, I have understood that since the inception of this government, there have reportedly been more than 20 mysterious deaths, gruesome murders still unsolved, ritualistic killings, and disappearances, with little or no reasonable information to the public on the results of announced investigations, if any.

These include the deaths of:
1. John Hilary Tubman, son of former Pres. William V.S Tubman,
2. Baptist prelate William R. Tolbert III, son of former Pres. William Tolbert,
3. Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) official, Matthew Innis linked to the missing L$16 billion
4. CBL driver Kollie Ballah.
5. Immigration officer, Ms. Maude Elliot,
6. Head of the Internal Audit Agency Emmanuel Barten Nyesuah
Liberia Revenue Authority Auditors
7. Gifty Asmah Lama
8. Albert Peters and
9. George Fanbutu.
10. Alexander Yeahnur  of Rivergee,
11. Ms. Eliza Robert of Maryland,
12. Mr. Mordicious Nyemah – A student of Pleebo High School who was ritualistically killed in Maryland County
13. Ms. Hawa of Grand Cape Mount County
14. Mulbah Kunyon, also of Cape Mount.
15. Afoa Williams of District Nine, Montserrado County,
16. Ma Nowai of the Johnsonville area,
17. The St. Moses Funeral Parlor case- Siafa, Robert, Blamo, and Blama; and amongst others not named.
However, Police authorities are said to be investigating the most recent murders but we await, without any certainty, that it would not be business as usual. Already, so-called preliminary reports from the police are stating no signs of foul play in Princess’ death. This is heartbreaking and although said to be preliminary is already conclusive at times. The growing number of unexplained deaths, mysterious murders, and disappearances threaten our peace and security and undermine prospects for economic recovery. No serious investor will look to invest in a country with rising crimes with a government unwilling or unable to solve mysterious deaths, murders, and disappearances.

Where there is no guaranteed security of individual citizens and a strong commitment to the rule of law, the economy will collapse further and recovery will be stalled. Economic conditions will worsen and the hardship on our people will continue. Solving murders and stopping crimes are indispensable to job creation, economic recovery, and development. We can no longer gamble on the safety and security of our people. Our Constitution provides for the security of all persons and yet the government has failed to do so.  The time, resources, and energy that this government spends on political persecutions should be spent on finding the culprits of these egregious crimes against our people and giving relief to our scared, shaken, and despondent citizenry. We call on this government to strengthen our security sector to prevent the occurrences of these wanton killings, speed up investigations, and bring to justice those culpable for these heinous crimes.

We want our sweet Land of Liberty back. This Sweet Land of Liberty that has transformed Into a Fearful Land of Terror must be restored. The lost hope must be restored.

Overall, our people Deserves Better.

 

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