By Grace Q. Bryant
The Monrovia City Court has sent a supporter of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Lawrence Williams, to the Monrovia Central Prison for allegedly causing the death of three persons and leaving 24 others injured during the celebrations of Unity Party’s victory on November 20.
According to the police charge sheet, defendant Williams is a member of the Militant Brigade of his party which he has associated for over two years.
Defendant Williams was charged with the crimes of Murder, Aggravated Assault and Recklessly Endangering Another Person and for criminally, purposely, and intentionally causing the death of three victims namely, Peter Gray, Mariama Kromah, and Varney Sulieman.
However, the document said the action of defendant Williams was intentional and indifferent to the value of human lives leaving the investigation with the conviction that there was indeed a motive, especially of monetary and psychological benefit, which he must have received from an unidentified source that led to Williams executing said carnage on innocent partisans and sympathizers who were celebrating on November 20, 2023 at about 10:00 pm.
The court document said, defendant, Williams deliberately drove an unnamed Grey Hyundai SUV with its headlights off and front passenger door open, into a jubilant crowd of Unity Party partisans.
According to the police charge sheet, the act of the defendant led to the result of an angry mob consisting of partisans and sympathizers looting and setting ablaze the vehicle at the spot where it was abandoned by Williams.
The victims were assisted by others who took them immediately to various hospitals including the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Mawah Clinic, and other local clinics to seek prompt medical attention. Defendant Williams could not convince the investigation of the malfunction of the automatic gear of the vehicle which he claimed was the cause of the carnage
The document said upon absconding the scene with the aid of a motorcyclist Identified as Adolphus Cooper, a student of AME University, defendant Williams declined to have himself reported to the nearest police station but rather tried convincing the motorcyclist to give the amount of US$280 so as not the disclose his location or residence to anyone.
According to section 9.1 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, in the case of accident involving death or serious bodily injuries, the driver should immediately report him or herself to the nearest police station, which defendant Williams failed to do so.
