By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA, Liberia – Independent AMI Medical Healthcare Center medical examinations conducted on six defendants in the high-profile Capitol Building arson case have concluded that their physical and psychological injuries are “highly consistent” with their allegations of being tortured by government security personnel, according to medico-legal reports obtained by this newspaper.
The examinations, performed on September 16, 2025, by Dr. Philip Zochonis Ireland, a senior physician and Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Liberia, were ordered by the court following a defense motion filed on September 5. The defense sought an independent assessment to verify the defendants’ claims of torture and to challenge the state’s position that the injuries were self-inflicted or unrelated to their detention.
The six men—Jerry Pokah, Eric Susay, Thomas Etheridge, John Nyanti, Stephen M. Broh, and Kivi Bah Kaba**—all allege they were apprehended, brutally beaten, and subjected to various forms of torture approximately three to nine months ago. The medical findings, documented in accordance with the United Nations Istanbul Protocol, present a stark rebuttal to the government’s narrative and reveal a harrowing pattern of abuse. The reports detail consistent and severe abuse across the six defendants.
Kivi Bah Kaba, 30: The examination documented “hyperpigmented healed keratinized lesions” on both knees, noted as symmetrical and “consistent with baton assault.” The report also confirms the patient is missing his right incisor, which he alleges was knocked out by a kick to the mouth. Dr. Ireland’s overall assessment was “Highly consistent with the allegation of torture.”
Jerry Pokah, 40: The examination revealed hyperpigmented scars on his right wrist “highly indicative of handcuff-related injury,” a scar on his right deltoid consistent with being thrown against a door knob, and psychological symptoms of acute trauma. Dr. Ireland’s assessment was also “Highly consistent with the allegation of torture.”
Eric Susay, 40: Found to be emaciated and exhibiting a left shoulder disfigurement. An X-ray confirmed a chronic dislocation, which the report states “is highly consistent with the patient’s account of injury following beatings with blunt objects.
Thomas Etheridge, 40: While no active cutaneous lesions were observed, the patient presented with an irregular heart rate, a history of right shoulder dislocation, and severe psychological distress. The medical opinion found these manifestations “highly consistent with the patient’s allegations of sustained torture and ill-treatment.”
John Nyanti, 30: The report documented multiple healed abrasions on his body, which are “residual cutaneous sequelae consistent with prior blunt trauma.” He also reported persistent fluid leakage from his right ear following a strike. Dr. Ireland assessed the evidence as “Highly consistent with the allegation of torture.”
Stephen M. Broh, 54: The examination found scars on his head and above his eyebrow “consistent with healed blunt trauma.” The report noted that the “findings are consistent with the patient’s history of trauma,” though it classified the consistency as being “caused by other conditions,” likely due to the need for further evaluation of a separate medical finding.
The report, initially scheduled for presentation in open court on Thursday, September 18, 2025, was abruptly postponed to Wednesday, September 24, 2025, before Criminal Court “A.”
Legal and Human Rights Implications:
The Istanbul Protocol is the international standard for investigating and documenting potential torture. A finding that evidence is “highly consistent” indicates that the clinical findings match the alleged torture account and are unlikely to have been caused by accidental or unrelated events.
These reports, now encompassing half a dozen individuals, are expected to form a critical part of the defense’s argument. They potentially challenge the admissibility of any confessions obtained from the defendants and accuse state authorities of violating domestic and international law. The specific and symmetrical nature of the injuries, such as the baton wounds to Kaba’s knees, strongly refutes any suggestion of being self-inflicted.
Dr. Ireland, in each report, affirmed that his duty was to the court and that the findings represent his “independent and objective professional opinion.” The reports recommend ongoing medical and psychological care for all six men, including specialist referrals for orthopedic injuries, cardiac issues, dental reconstruction, and PTSD therapy, while also calling for the preservation of all evidence for potential judicial proceedings.
