Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) death squad led by Edward Slanger reportedly murdered engineer Robert A. Phillips in early 1990, veteran diplomat and a relative of the deceased, Othello Coleman told commissioners of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

Quoting the mother of Mr. Phillips, Mrs. Roberta A. Phillip, Coleman recounted how Slanger and his AFL death squad visited the home of Phillips during the heydays of the civil war. 

At the home of Phillips, the diplomat explained an individual bang at the door and when he responded, the voice said “it’s me bob.” Mr. Coleman noted that according to reports the voice was Mr. Phillips brother-in-law. 

He said Phillips had returned home at midnight after spending the entire day at the home of his mother on Cheeseman Avenue in Sinkor. When Mr. Phillips opened the door, he explained, the soldiers engaged him in a brutal fight during which he was overpowered and murdered.

After the fight, Ambassador Coleman said the soldiers reportedly fed Phillips’ body to lions. He said the whereabouts of 7 other relatives who resided at Phillips’ residence remain unknown since the incident.  

Mr. Coleman, son of slain opposition politician David Coleman, who was accused of plotting to overthrow the government of President William V.S. Tubman, was testifying Monday at the ongoing TRC’s Thematic and Institutional Inquiry Hearings at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia.

Mr. Phillips was murdered in early 1990 at his 14th Street, Payne Avenue residence in Sinkor. Reports say during the murder the deceased had a tough struggle with his assailants before he was killed.

According to reports this was evident by blood stains splattered all over the scene of the murder. Under the theme: “Understanding the Conflict Through its Principal Events and Actors,” the ongoing hearings will address the root causes of the conflict, including its military and political dimensions.

The hearings are focused on events between 1979 and 2003 and the national and external actors that helped to shape those events. The TRC was agreed upon in the August 2003 peace agreement and created by the TRC Act of 2005.

The TRC was established to “promote national peace, security, unity and reconciliation,” and at the same time make it possible to hold perpetrators accountable for gross human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law that occurred in Liberia between January 1979 and October 2003. 

Man Stabs Police Woman To Death
By George J. Borteh

A newly recruit and a member of the Probationer Police Officer (PPO) of the Liberia National Police (LNP) identified as Margaret Zomle of the Coca-Cola Community in Paynesville was stabbed to death by her fiancée, 36 years old  Eric Tozay.

Information gathered by The Analyst revealed that the incident took place yesterday August 11, 2008 at the hour of 6am at their Coca-Cola Community because the victim was allegedly in love with in extra love affairs.

According to information also gathered by this paper yesterday said that defendant Tozay used a kitchen knife, which opened the victim’s stomach that resulted to her death by the time she was taken to a nearby hospital.

The Analyst gathered that defendant Tozay is a former fighter of the disbanded National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) whom the victim borne three children for.

Defendant Tozay is currently under detention at Zone-5 police depot in Paynesville and is likely be charged with murder and be forwarded to court if investigated.

Authority at the LNP told this paper that the victim was a graduate of the Class-33 and prior to her demise was performing what is termed “Field Training” as a PPO. In related police news, four alleged armed robbers have been arrested and have since sent to the Monrovia City Court for trial as required by law of Liberia.

Those arrested and sent to court include Allison Wowah, alias Gio-Boy, Bill Tomah, Junior Jerry alias School-Face and Zubah Kolubah all of the Red-Light Community in Paynesville.

According to police charge sheet # 415, the alleged armed robbers entered the ELWA Compound on July 21, 2008 with pistols, cutlasses and other deadly weapons at night and took away some valuable items amounting over US$2,000.

Some of the items made away with include one laptop, one professional canon 20D Digital camera among other items.

PUBLIC SERVICE

The alleged armed robbers have admitted to the allegation levied against them according to police charge sheet and disclosed that they were accompanied by four others including George Washington alias Four-Fair and Mamie Bamboo Jonathan.

The alleged armed robbers also told police preliminary investigation that suspect Allison Wowah, Junior Jerry and Lewis Kennedy were the ones who used weapons Ak-47, 357 and 45 Pistols during the commission of the crime.

Meanwhile, police authority has informed this paper that the pistols allegedly used in the commission of the crime along with two laptops have been retrieved and have since been turned over to the Monrovia City Court.

Four alleged armed robbers who are said to be at large have been charged with the crime of Armed Robbery in absentia.