BY SHALLON S. GONLOR | shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — Presiding Judge Serena F. Garlawolu of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie, Nimba County has sentenced 19-year-old Lee Meayean to 30 years in prison.
Described by prosecutors as a notorious motorbike robber in Gompa City, Lee was convicted on multiple charges, including aggravated assault, attempted murder, and armed robbery. Judge Garlawolu delivered the judgment on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, following a guilty plea and a three-day trial held from May 18 to 20, after closing arguments on Wednesday, May 20.
Judge Serena F. Garlawolu outlined the gravity and penalties associated with each offense in her sentencing remarks on Tuesday in the courtroom of the 8th Judicial Circuit Complex. On aggravated assault, she noted that under Title 26, Chapter 14 of Liberia’s Penal Law, the offense is described as a second-degree felony when a person knowingly causes serious bodily injury to another and conviction carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
For attempted murder, the judge cited Chapter 10, Section 10.1, and Chapter 14, Section 14.1 of the Revised Penal Code. The crime is generally classified as a second-degree felony, though the final sentence depends on the severity of the act, evidence of premeditation, and whether a deadly weapon was used. The court placed particular emphasis on armed robbery, which Liberia’s Penal Law treats as either a felony or a capital offense when a weapon is involved.
Convictions carry lengthy prison terms, and the sentence can be increased further based on the circumstances of the crime, including the level of violence and threat to victims. “Wherefore, and in view of the foregoing, based on the cited legal provisions and the Liberian statutes, the defendant Lee Meayean is adjudged guilty of aggravated assault, attempted murder, and armed robbery,” Judge Garlawolu ruled. “He is hereby sentenced to a 30-year prison term.”
Case Narrative:
Defendant Lee Meayean was arrested in Ganta on January 27, 2026. The Liberia National Police’s Nimba County Detachment in February 2026, forwarded him to the 8th Judicial Circuit Court for prosecution on multiple offenses following a preliminary investigation.
According to the police’s preliminary investigation, Meayean had confessed to participating in a series of brutal attacks on motorcyclists in Ganta City over the years. Police investigators described him as a “notorious robber” who targeted riders and put their lives at risk.
The incident leading to his arrest occurred on the night of January 27, 2026. Police said defendant Meayean hired motorcyclist Blessing S. Dolo in the Small Ganta Community, claiming he needed transport to his cassava farm in City View Community across the Immigration Checkpoint on the Ganta-Monrovia Highway. Defendant Meayean first asked Dolo to stop at the Ganta General Market to collect money from a business partner, then convinced him to continue to the farm, promising to return with a bag of cassava. Dolo agreed and charged him for a fare of LD$200.
Around 11:00 p.m., after crossing the Ganta-Monrovia checkpoint and turning onto a farm route into the bush, Meayean told Dolo to stop. He got off the bike, pretended to retrieve a cassava bag, then pulled out a machete and attacked Dolo in an attempt to steal the motorbike. Dolo shouted for help and responding police officers arrived quickly, rescued him, and arrested Meayean at the scene.
Police Investigation revealed that this was not an isolated incident, recounting on December 16, 2025, motorcyclist Foky Goyon who was targeted by defendant Meayean at the same crime scene.
Residents of Nimba County, especially in Ganta City, have been plagued by a wave of violent robberies targeting motorcyclists. Many view defendant Meayean’s prosecution as a significant step toward restoring public safety.
