A 14-year-old boy, barely old enough to understand the weight of life’s cruelties, now fights for survival at Redemption Hospital in New Kru Town. His crime? Allegedly taking too long to provide change to a customer while helping his older brother sell coconuts. The consequence? A stab wound from a coconut knife, an act so brutal that it has left an entire community seething with rage.
At Banjor Junction, where the incident unfolded, the air is thick with anger and disbelief. A crowd has formed in front of the police station, their voices rising in demand for justice. The alleged perpetrator, now in custody, sits behind bars, but does that bring comfort? Does it erase the image of a boy, likely clutching his stomach in pain, gasping for breath as the world around him fades?
For many, selling in the streets is not a choice but survival. This young boy, day after day, stood beside his brother, earning an honest living in a country where opportunities are scarce. Yet, in an instant, his world was shattered over something as insignificant as loose change.
As tensions continue to rise, new details have emerged. The accused, identified as Foday Gbanja, claims that the incident was not just about the change. According to him, after purchasing a coconut, the victim, Enoch Johnson, allegedly called him a “zoko.” The word, often used to describe wayward individuals in Liberia, sparked an exchange of words between the two. What began as a verbal dispute quickly spiraled into violence, leading Foday to use Enoch’s own coconut knife to stab him.
But does this explanation justify his actions? Does an insult warrant an act of near-fatal aggression?
What kind of society have we become? Where human life holds less value than the weight of a few coins or the sting of a single word? Where frustration turns to violence, and the innocent pay the price?
As Enoch lies in a hospital bed, clinging to life, the question lingers: Will justice truly be served, or will this, too, be another case that fades into the noise of daily struggles?
