. Community Questions the LNP Investigation in Princess Harmon’s death
By: Jerromie S. Walters
The investigation surrounding the death of Saybah Harmon, a 15-year-old girl whose lifeless body was discovered early Monday, December 26, 2022, in Peace Land community, Mount Barclay, seems to be getting even more complicated than anyone thought, despite the Liberia National Police’s intervention.
According to reports, Saybah Harmon left her parents’ home on Sunday, December 25, 2022, to free her rechargeable light at a local charging center in Peace Land community, Mount Barclay, but was not seen till her lifeless body was discovered in the same community, just a few feet from where the charging center is situated.
Following the discovery of Saybah’s body, the Liberia National Police, during its preliminary investigation, arrested and jailed 3 individuals (the owner of the charging center and another neighbor), whom they described as persons of interest.
24 hours later, the various individuals were released on the grounds that there was no substantive evidence to prove them guilty.
However, Mrs. Watta Harmon, the mother of Saybah Harmon, highlighted several claims and allegations, pointed towards the family of the charging center where her daughter went to free her rechargeable light, and was found dead the next day.
She alleged that, from the onset, while in search of her daughter, she was asked about her connection with Saybah by the owner of the house where the charging center is situated. “On my way to the other house after I didn’t see her at the charging center, I saw the house owner coming from behind the house with a bucket in his hand, so he asked whether Saybah was my daughter; I told him yes, and he just laughed and said it’s not easy, and that’s how he passed me,” she alleged.
According to her, the direction Mr. Mulbah came from when he asked about her connection with Saybah was the same end toward which her lifeless body was found early Monday, December 26, 2022.
Despite these claims by Mrs. Harmon, the Liberia National Police has maintained that the family can’t be considered suspects, as their investigation didn’t prove them guilty.
According to sources within the Mount Barclay community, including its chairman, Mr. Lawrence Tuah, it took the Liberia National Police over 24 hours to carry out an investigation in the homes of those they termed “persons of interest” and not “suspects.”
When quizzed by this paper mid-Tuesday about the investigation, Mr. Lawrence Tuah expressed dissatisfaction with the process, specifically referencing the Liberia National Police’s refusal at the time to start her investigation from the homes of those that were or are connected to the incident.
“If you ask me about the work they did that day, I will say that I’m displeased, because some of the things they started doing lately were to be done at the early stage of the investigation when the incident just occurred, and that was my saying to them, and they didn’t listen to me.”
He continues, “It was even shocking to me that after a day or two before I saw them coming to do a house search, and it was very late, because I told them about the house search that morning, but they didn’t listen, so when it comes to those people who have the charging center, I think the police have more to do.”
As disclosed by the family, they did not receive any information from the Liberia National Police since the persons of interest were released.
It was said that the Liberia National Police recently visited the community and established a reporting system to enable community dwellers to provide sensitive information regarding the investigation. They also spoke with the family of Saybah Harmon and the community leadership.
The family described the police’s decision to release the alleged persons of interest and the establishment of the reporting system in the community as a contraction of the investigation.
Howbeit, Saybah Harmon has been buried, but her parents are still anticipating that she will be served justice even in her grave.
It can be recalled that Saybah Harmon was found dead on Monday, December 26, 2022, in Peace Land community, Mount Barclay, after she left her parents’ home by 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 25, 2022, to pick up her rechargeable light at a charging center in the same community.
