By Jerromie S. Walters
PAYNESVILLE, Liberia – A minor girl, her hands visibly burned, was rescued over the weekend while being forced to sell potato greens in Paynesville, according to eyewitness accounts and community sources. The child is now in police custody as authorities begin an investigation.
The girl, whose identity is being protected due to her age, was reportedly brought from Bong County to live with her stepmother in the Soul Clinic community. As displayed by a viral video, she was in severe pain while hawking her goods, her injuries a shocking sight to passersby.
Sources close to the matter allege the burns were inflicted as punishment by her stepmother for eating a piece of biscuit. This alleged act has sparked outrage and condemnation from those who intervened.
“Every day, she leaves Soul Clinic to sell potato greens at the Waterside market, under the troubling and inhumane supervision of her caretaker,” said a local who assisted in the intervention. The narrative points to a pattern of exploitation, with the child’s labor being compelled even while she suffered from her injuries.
The girl was subsequently handed over to the Liberia National Police and is currently under the care of Officer Emmanuel Wallace at the Waterside depot.
When contacted for comment, police authorities at the depot declined to provide an official statement on the case, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. It remains unclear if any arrests have been made or if charges are being prepared against the stepmother.
For the residents of Soul Clinic, Paynesville’s most densely populated neighborhood, the last days of January 2026 have been marked by unspeakable violence and a deepening crisis of faith. Within a span of five days, two brutal attacks—one a domestic murder, the other an alleged assault by a police officer—have shattered lives and left a community shrouded in grief and fear.
The trauma began on the evening of January 25, when 26-year-old Rachael Korto was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, Edwin Mulbah, widely known in the community as “Raw Raw” or “Bucky Raw.” Her violent death was followed just days later by a shocking incident in which 17-year-old Victoria David was reportedly beaten nearly to death with a heavy stick by an officer of the Liberia National Police.
For Rachael Korto’s family, the pain is a constant, sharp reality. Relatives recall her as cheerful and calm on what seemed an ordinary night, with no indication of the horror to come. Her sister, Angeline Korto, described the moment her world collapsed between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. “I was sleeping when my sister’s son came to tell me his father wanted to see me,” Angeline said in an exclusive interview, her voice trembling. “When I entered the house, I saw my sister on the ground… I started crying immediately because I knew that my sister was dead.”
The most chilling account came from Rachael’s young son, who witnessed the attack. “The little boy explained that their father mercilessly beat their mother—he hit her with everything that got in his hand,” Angeline recounted. “During the process, the boy said he turned the music on high so that no one would hear.”
In a frantic, futile effort to save her, Angeline and the suspect’s brother carried Rachael’s body from one medical facility to another across Paynesville, only to be turned away at each. “I think she was already dead, but they didn’t want to tell us,” Angeline said.
Since that night, Edwin Mulbah has vanished. Despite police reports, no arrest has been made, compounding the family’s anguish with frustration.
As Soul Clinic mourned Rachael, another act of violence erupted—this time, allegedly at the hands of a police officer. Seventeen-year-old Victoria David was severely beaten by Officer Physon K. Eulsual of the Police Support Unit, who was reportedly in the community to attend a wake.
A video obtained by this publication shows an intoxicated Officer Eulsual repeatedly striking the teenage girl with a wooden log, an act that has sparked widespread outrage. “We don’t know him. We have never seen him in this community before,” said Victoria’s aunt, Veroline David. “Out of the sudden, he took that big stick and started beating my niece with it. The girl fainted, and we had to rush her to the hospital.”
Officer Eulsual was later arrested by a colleague and transferred to police headquarters. While the family acknowledges cooperation from authorities, they say no financial assistance has been provided for Victoria’s care. Beyond the immediate victims, a pervasive sense of dread has settled over Soul Clinic. A middle-aged vendor near the main junction captured the shift in daily life: “We used to sit outside and talk at night, but now everybody rushes inside early. You don’t know who will be the next victim.”
For many, the alleged involvement of a police officer has bred a profound distrust. “When police people themselves are beating our children, then who will protect us?” lamented a young motorbike rider. “This thing has shaken my heart.” An elderly long-time resident reflected on the cumulative toll: “I have seen hard times in this community, but this one is different. Too much blood, too much pain in a short time.”
