By Korboi K. Gbelewala, Lofa County Correspondent
Monrovia, July 11 (LINA) -The 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Voinjama, Lofa County has sentenced a 29 year-old man identified as Wolobah Lape to 19 years and two months in jail for murder and armed robbery in the county.
Jurors at the Court recently brought down a unanimous guilty verdict against defendant Lape, and the court handed down the sentence on Thursday, July 4.
According to the indictment read in court by the Resident Judge, Nancy Finda Sammy, defendant Lape was arrested, charged and sent to court following by the Liberia National Police in the Soul Clinic Community in the Monrovia suburb of Paynesville on August 29, 2018.
Lape, according to the indictment, was arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a commercial motorcyclist in Lofa County and escaping with the bike to the Soul Clinic Community, where he was using the bike for commercial purposes.
On Wednesday August 8, 2018, the indictment said, defendant Lape intentionally shot a commercial motorcyclist identified as Joe Tokpa Barkolleh at the back of his neck with a single barrel shotgun between Zorzor City and Sucromu Town after hiring the service of the cyclist to take him to Zorzor in Lofa County.
It said that following the shooting, Lape then fled to Montserrado County where he was arrested and charged by the Liberia National Police.
After two days, the lifeless body of cyclist Barkolleh was discovered lying in a bush along the Zorzor-Salayea road in Lofa County.
Following a tip-off, Lape was arrested, charged and turned over to the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Voinjama by the Police, the indictment added.
He has been incarcerated at the Voinjama Central Prison on the outskirts of Voinjama City where he is expected to serve his sentence.
Meanwhile, family members of deceased cyclist Barkolleh are commending the Court for the bold step taken in the case involving their kinsman and defendant Lape, describing it as “fair justice”.
LINA KKG/TSS/WSG/PTK
