By Laurina B Lormia
A 19-year-old man, Yakpawolo Moisemai, the primary suspect in the murder investigation of 45-year-old Moyoungor Keleko in Duwoigomai, Voinjama District, was found dead in a police cell on Monday, January 6.
This incident has ignited widespread allegations of foul play, and violent unrest in the region with many citizens questioning the circumstances surrounding Moisemai’s death.
On Tuesday December 31, New Year’s Eve, the lifeless body of Moyoungor was discovered along a farm road in Duwoigomai.
Upon this grim discovery, the police were immediately notified, prompting the convening of a 15-member jury to examine the scene and determine the cause of death.
The late Moisemai, who was arrested along with four other individuals in connection with Keleko’s murder, was transferred from the Voinjama Central Police Station to the Voinjama Police Barracks to safeguard the integrity of his testimony.
Police described the late Moisemai as a key suspect after the body of Moyoungor, a mother of three, was discovered on New Year’s Eve with deep lacerations and a broken neck.
However, despite the heightened security surrounding Moisemai, police reports alleged that he took his own life by hanging himself with his shirt inside the cell during the night hours.
The circumstances surrounding his death have been met with widespread skepticism, with many residents of the area suspecting foul play.
This suspicion has fueled unrest, as some citizens believe Moisemai was silenced to conceal critical information he had reportedly begun providing to investigators.
In response, an enraged mob in Duwoigomai set fire on two houses belonging to suspects previously held in custody alongside Moisemai.
Protesters also erected roadblocks along the Voinjama-Zorzor highway near John’s Town, halting traffic and sparking further chaos while officers assigned to the area fled, and the John’s Town Magisterial Court was exposed to attacks by rioters.
Reports also indicate that relatives of the suspects accused of involvement in both Moyoungor’s murder and Moisemai’s death are in hiding, fearing for their lives as residents reportedly hunt them down.
As tensions escalate, authorities are under growing pressure to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding Moisemai’s death while initial police accounts point to suicide; calls for an independent investigation are mounting, with many insisting on transparency to restore order in the region.
It remains unclear whether Moisemai’s death was a tragic act of self-harm or a deliberate attempt to silence a key figure in an ongoing murder investigation.
However, the violent public reaction underscores the deep mistrust in law enforcement and justice systems in the region, with citizens demanding accountability and swift action to address the growing crisis.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General (IG) of Police, Gregory Coleman, has called for calm in the town following heightened tensions over the deaths.
Speaking on 50-50 talkshow on Sky FM yesterday, IG Coleman confirmed that five suspects were arrested in connection with the case and urged residents to allow the investigation to proceed without resorting to violence.
“I want to use this medium to call for calm in Duwoigomai, where a lady was murdered and some arrests have been made. Five suspects have been arrested. But somehow, people believe that once someone is picked up as a person of interest in an investigation, it automatically means being guilty,” IG Coleman explained apparently without disclosing or being in the know that one of the suspects was reportedly dead and that, that was the result of the heightened tension.
He expressed concern over reports of violent protests, including property destruction and arson, emphasizing that such actions undermine efforts to maintain law and order.
“Citizens are going on the rampage and they’re burning. I have instructed the ERU and PSU on border patrol duties to beef up their patrols in Voinjama and restore order immediately if for any reason order is breached,” he assured.
