-For Killing Her Three Grandchildren in Nimba
BY: SHALLON S. GONLOR |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — A 56-year-old grandmother, Mary Giah, has received a life sentence for murdering her three grandchildren, closing a case that shocked Liberians. Judge Serena F. Garlawolu of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie, Nimba County, delivered the judgment on Tuesday, May 26, 2026. Giah will serve her sentence at Zwedru Correction Center in Grand Gedeh County.
The sentencing followed a guilty plea and a three-day trial (May 18-20, 2026), concluding a legal process that began in late February. In her ruling, Presiding Judge Serena F Garlawolu said Mary Giah’s conviction for murder carries a penalty of life imprisonment at the court’s discretion, particularly where the defendant enters a guilty plea.
Judge Garlawolu further found that the 56-year-old defendant intentionally killed her three grandchildren and showed no remorse for the act. Citing the brutality of the crime and the defendant’s lack of regret, the judge stated that the offense met the threshold for a death penalty sentence under Liberia’s Penal Law.
Under Chapter 14, Subchapter A, Section 14.1 of Liberia’s Penal Law, murder is a capital offense punishable by either life imprisonment or death.
Delivering the sentence, Judge Garlawolu considered both aggravating and mitigating factors.
In this case, the court emphasized the deliberate nature of the killings, the vulnerability of the child victims — and the defendant’s admission that she acted without remorse. Judge Garlawolu noted that these factors weighed heavily toward the maximum penalty. However, Liberia has observed a de facto moratorium on executions since 2005, and capital sentences are typically commuted to life imprisonment in practice.
Case Narrative:
According to the Ministry of Justice, the incident occurred on the night of February 22, 2026, in Mehnla Town, Electoral District #9, Nimba County. Police investigators said Mary Giah killed her grandchildren—Mewaseh Giah, 6-year-old, Marvelous Zainsaye, 4-year-old, and Alvina Tokpah, 2-year-old, while they were asleep under her custody. The children were found with fatal throat injuries.
The Ministry’s preliminary investigation report states she used a razor blade and a knife to carry out the act.
The children had been left in Giah’s care on February 21 by their mother, Mercy Giah, who spent the night elsewhere with her boyfriend. When the crime was discovered, the case was immediately forwarded to the Ministry of Justice for investigation.
On February 25, 2026, Mary Giah was arrested and charged with murder. In her statement to police, she admitted to killing the children, noting that she acted to “prove she is a witch physically” and claimed she was driven by a demonic spirit. The Ministry of Justice said the evidence supported charges under Chapter 14, Subchapter A, Section 14.1 of Liberia’s Penal Law, which defines murder as the unlawful killing of a human being with intent to cause death.
Court Proceedings:
The case moved forward after Nimba County’s Grand Jury sitting in its February Term of Court 2026 returned a True Bill. A True Bill is a formal finding that prosecutors have presented enough evidence to establish probable cause for indictment.
The Grand Jury reviewed the case file submitted by the County Attorney of Nimba County and determined it was credible enough to proceed. The Ministry of Justice subsequently indicted Mary Giah, and the matter was scheduled for the May 2026 Term of Court at the 8th Judicial Circuit in Sanniquellie.
On Monday, May 18, 2026, Mary Giah was arraigned before Presiding Judge Serena F. Garlawolu, and she entered a guilty plea when the indictment was read in open court. Despite the plea, the court proceeded with a trial on Tuesday, May 19, to establish the facts on record. Prosecution and defense arguments were heard on Wednesday, May 20. Judge Garlawolu reserved sentencing and delivered the final ruling on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, sentencing Giah to life imprisonment.
Under Liberian law, a guilty plea does not automatically end a murder trial. Courts often hold proceedings to ensure the plea is voluntary, factual, and supported by evidence, and to give the public a clear record of what occurred. Life imprisonment is the standard penalty for murder under Section 14.1 of the Penal Law.
The Ministry of Justice stated that the case’s conclusion reflects the completion of due process, from investigation and indictment to trial and sentencing. Nimba County is one of Liberia’s most populous counties, and the 8th Judicial Circuit in Sanniquellie handles felony cases for the region. Cases involving child homicide are typically fast-tracked due to their severity.
