By Bill W. Cooper
The 72nd Kpelle Town Community in Paynesville was a place of panic and total terror leaving residents and bystanders in disbelief after a violent action was allegedly meted on a family based on rumors.
Information gathered that Mr. Johnson S. Keamu and his family who had been living in the area for several years were accused of being the masterminds behind the Ministry of Public Works’ action to break down homes built in the alley.
In rage and anger, residents of the community including other community leaders took matters into their own hands and set Mr. Keamu’s house ablaze.
According to an investigation conducted by this paper, the incident began when authorities from the Ministry of Public Works embarked on the demolition of homes that had been illegally built on the alleys.
The move was however met with stiff resistance from affected residents, who expressed disappointment over the government’s action, thus accusing Mr. Keamu of playing key role in the Ministry’s decision, which fueled the residents’ anger and frustration.
The Ministry of Public Works, with an aim to enhance road access and revitalize communities, launched a campaign focusing on the clearance of alleys obstructed by unauthorized structures.
The initiative, which commenced on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, and being carried out by the Ministry’s Zoning Division also targeting both public and private constructions that encroached upon those spaces.
The Division also identified and marked buildings that blatantly disregard the National Zoning Law and the Construction Policy of the Ministry while structures marked for demolition will be cleared to facilitate road access and beautification projects in Monrovia and surrounding areas.
The Division will impose fines on owners who have undertaken constructions in alleys without the requisite construction permit from the Ministry of Public Works, underscoring the Ministry’s commitment to public safety and regulatory compliance.
But it was established during our investigation that during the evening hour of the fateful day of the incident, a group of residents gathered outside Mr. Keamu’s house, armed with sticks and stones coupled with other machetes.
They accused him and his family of betraying the community and siding with the government in its fight against illegal constructions.
Despite Mr. Keamu’s protests and denials, the mob grew increasingly violent and began to vandalize his property.
Mr. Keamu and his family fled their home for safety after the angry mob set a part of his house ablaze after vandalizing it.
Some residents expressed regrets over the actions, realizing that their action left Mr. Keamu and his family homeless and traumatized.
Explaining his ordeal, Mr. Keamu decried the attack on his family with threatening remarks since the incident, and said, “I was shocked that my own neighbors and community friends will do such a thing to me and my family.”
According to him, during and after the Saturday, August 10, 2024, demolition exercise.
He revealed, “They also burn my house and threatened to kill me and my family if possible. Moreover, the Community Chairman, Darneka Harris, is one of the key persons that was inciting the residents to destroy my property and get at me.”
Mr. Keamu explained, “After the demolition, I slept in my house that night and early Sunday morning between the hours of 4:30 am my house was burglarized and those that entered my home stole a lot of valuable items.”
Items stolen included a 5Kva generator, flat screen TV, laptops, phone, Gibson air condition, children tablets, big cooking pots, wheel barrows, big water barrels and wedding rings among others.
He maintained, “They also locked me up in my room and set the house on fire but God saved me and I don’t know how the fire was cut-oft but my family and I are now in hiding; school is about to open and my children are traumatized and we cannot go back home.”
Mr. Keamu is calling on the government through the Ministry of Public Works and Liberia National Police (LNP) to take action by providing security for him and his family, property and to bring him justice by recovering all that was stolen from his home.
“I am requesting for all this because no police from the station has come to my house to ensure my security, there had been rumors all in the community that there are people planning to burn down my house completely and if possible, kill me,” he explained.
Even though Sheriff S. Kuyateh, during the night of the incident serve at my residence and helped curtail the huge crowd from throwing rocks and attacks on my property, my life and that of my family is not safe anymore and I need justice,” he pleaded.
When contacted, the Superintendent of Police, Zone 9, Margaret Forh confirmed the incident and said, “Yes, it is true that Mr. Keamu House was vandalized and set ablaze but thankfully the house did not burn down to ashes.”
She also disclosed that two of the suspects have been arrested and placed behind bar awaiting court trials, adding that her team was also able to retrieve two of the stolen items which include the generator and laptop.
The Zone 9 Superintendent of Police then assured that her team is doing everything possible to ensure all those perpetrators linked to incident are brought to book to face justice, ensuring that Keamu and his family’s properties are retrieved.
Meanwhile, all efforts exerted to get the side of Ministry of Public Works proved futile as the Director of Communication could not be reached till press time. Investigation continues.