Another mysterious death in Lofa County

By: Moses Owen Browne, Jr.

Salayea District, Liberia: The county once

considered the breadbasket of Liberia is

gradually turning into a dangerous place where

secret killings and disappearances are creating fear in the minds of

citizens in that county.

Residents of the small town of Mentmenta in Salayea District,

couldn't hold back tears when news of Falimo Tokpah,

believed to be in her 40s was discovered dead on a cool Sunday

afternoon.

According to Mr. John M. Tokpah, the victim's husband, he and his

wife were together earlier in the day producing palm oil for commercial

use. He then left her briefly to run an errand. When he returned

later, he met her lifeless body in the oil pit.

“I was far into the forest looking for additional palm nuts. As soon I

came back, I saw my wife (Falimo) lying down in the hole,” John lamented.

John and Falimo had nine children together. Three are deceased.

Mary Tokpah, who is daughter in-law of the late Falimo, said Falimo's

death is “too strange and unbelievable.”

The area nurse, Tokpah Y. Kennedy, who works at the Gorlu Clinic

confirmed Falimo's death but could not administer any test because of

the mysterious manner in which she died, he said.

Frantic efforts were made to get the police, but the only police depot

is located in Salayea, 15-minutes away from mentmenta town. Residents

of the town obviously are eager to know what caused Falimo's sudden death.

Mentmenta Town chief, John Y. Morris said Falimo was not ill at all,

and said something must be responsible for her death. He called on

authorities of the Liberia National Police to speedily investigate the

matter.

Lofa County witnessed most of the fighting during the Liberian

civil war, which took place largely along ethnic lines, and caused

a great divide among the people. A major mob violence in 2010 over the

death of an eleventh grade student named Korpo Kamara.

led to the death of several citizens in Voinjama, the county seat

Since then, there has been several efforts made by the government,

international organizations, IREX and civil society groups to resolve the

tension; but disagreements among the people have not yet been

addressed, which has made peace more fragile for Lofans.

Moses Owen Browne, Jr. is a print and broadcast journalist. He is based in Liberia, and can be reached at 231-886-493-370 or [email protected]

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