Liberia: Police Charge Man with Murder for Allegedly Stabbing to Death 16-Year-Old Boy - FrontPageAfrica

Source: Front Page Africa

KAKATA -- Police authorities in Kakata have charged an 18-year-old man with murder and forwarded him to court over the alleged stabbing to death of a 16-year-old boy at a wake keeping in Bassa Village in Cinta Township, Margibi County.

By Yawah Y. Jaivey, Contributing Writer

The police authorities at the Margibi Police Detachment on Monday charged suspect Abel Forkpah with murder in consonance with Chapter 14, Sub-Chapter A, Section 14.1 of the revised Penal Code of the Republic of Liberia.

The victim's father, George Dargor, told police investigators that he departed from his Dargor Village along with his son, Franklin Dargor, in the evening hours of March 8, 2024, for Bassa Village to attend the wake keeping of a deceased family member.

Mr. Dargor explained that while at the wake keeping, he saw his son, the late Franklin Dargor, running after defendant Abel Forkpah, which prompted him to hurriedly run there to prevent a fistfight between the two.

"When I got there, I took Franklin away and carried him to his mother. Just as I tried handing my son over to his mother, we saw blood on his back," he said.

At that interval, Mr. Dargor said his son fell on the ground and started to convulse due to the multiple wounds he had earlier sustained from the alleged stabbing by suspect Forkpah.

He said his son unfortunately passed away while en route to the hospital.

The deceased's father said that he was surprised by the situation because he did not hear of any prior commotion between his son and the defendant that may have led to the fistfight resulting in his son's demise.

Defendant gives account

For his part, defendant Abel Forkpah, in a voluntary statement, told police investigators that while he was at the wake keeping that night, there was music playing with lots of people dancing, including himself.

He said it was during that time he walked over to a girl to dance. He alleged that immediately he started to dance with the lady, she felt offended and slapped him on his mouth and shunned him.

At that point, he alleged that victim Franklin Dargor rushed there and punched him in his left eye on the ground that the girl whom he attempted to dance with is his sister.

He said he never reacted and stated that there was a boy with deceased (Franklin Dargor) who he alleged had a rough encounter back on the football field, who got involved and started making provoking comments.

He explained that he never responded but walked away and continued his dance. He continued that he later walked over along with three of his friends, Abraham B. Singbeh, Junior Sackie, and Elijah Momo, to where a lady was sharing liquor, and they were served liquor.

He said when he was served his liquor, victim Franklin Dargor and his friends, including the same guy he had the beef with from the football field, walked there and Franklin Dargor attacked him to fistfight, during which he alleged that one of his friends handed him a shoe sewing needle which he used and stabbed victim Franklin Dargor on his arm.

He said when he stabbed the deceased it was at that time people immediately came and parted them from the fight after which he went and sat on a motorbike where he was when he heard that victim Franklin Dargor had fallen.