Liberia’s Notorious Killer Arrested, Placed Under House Arrest In Togo

By Josephus Moses Gray
Monrovia, Liberia



The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia

March 26, 2004

Reports gathered from the circle of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) have revealed that the Liberia's notorious killer, Gen Benjamin Yeaten, has been arrested and placed under house arrest in Lome, Togo. Gen. Yeaten, a close associate of exiled former Liberian President Charles Taylor was arrested last Saturday night in Lome by international police based on alleged request of the UN backed Special War Crimes Court in Sierra Leone.

According to reports, Gen. Yeaten who fled Liberia last year following the fall of the regime of Mr. Taylor, entered Togo under an alias - James Diah. He reportedly entered Togo last November after a brief stay in Accra, Ghana.

UNIML sources told journalists in Monrovia this week that Gen. Yeaten was arrested after the arrival of some officials of the sierra Leonean War Crimes Court who had gone to Togo to effect Yeaten’s arrest and deportation to Freetown.

The reports said the UN Court officials managed, with the help of the international police, to have Gen. Yeaten arrested, but the Togolese police assigned to the international airport prevented them from taking Yeaten out of the country to Freetown on grounds that the Togolese Government is not aware of the presence of the UN War Crimes officials’ visit in the country.

Reports quoting the Togolese Government say Gen. Yeaten will remain under house arrest until his identity is established. The Togolese Government took him to court for brief questioning about his mission to that country.

Gen. Yeaten is alleged to have been responsible for the deaths of Samuel Dokie and his entire family members, as well as John Yormie and Isaac Vaye, two former officials of the Taylor's brutal regime.

He is alleged to be the mastermind in the massacre of 175 persons accused of being rebel LURD sympathizers in 20 July 2002. And in April 2003, he again allegedly ordered the massacre of 269 citizens of River Gee County on grounds that they were supporters of the rebel movement - MODEL.

Accordingly, Gen. Yeaten is linked to the deaths of Sam Bockarie and Johnny Paul Koroma of sierra Leone as well as several other massacres and killings and gruesome human rights abuses.