The grieving father of a pregnant woman who died earlier this month is demanding justice and government support for her burial, alleging that a police officer’s violent assault led to her death.
Tawer Kiatamba, father of 28-year-old Musu Kiatamba, says his daughter, who was five months pregnant, died on May 13, just three days after allegedly being brutalized by Zone 3 Depot 1 Commander Saywon Wulah, commonly known as “Ricky Ross.”
Speaking with reporters, Kiatamba recounted that the incident occurred during a police sweep at a known drug den in the Old Road community. Musu, according to him, had merely asked why some onlookers were fleeing as police arrived. That simple question, he says, provoked the wrath of Officer Wulah.
“She didn’t insult anyone. She just asked why people were running,” Kiatamba said. “That’s when that man beat my daughter with electric wire and kicked her in her stomach.”
He said the assault left Musu in severe pain, particularly in her chest and abdomen. She later told her aunt what had happened, and the two reportedly went to the Zone 3 Depot to confront Officer Wulah and demand medical assistance. Kiatamba claims the officer refused to act or take her to the hospital.
Musu’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was eventually rushed to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center. She died there.
Kiatamba says a formal complaint was submitted to police headquarters, but authorities have failed to take any meaningful steps. Instead, he alleges, officers have repeatedly pressured the family to “just go ahead and bury her.”
“The same people who caused her death are now acting like it’s nothing,” he said. “We want justice. And we want the government to help us with the burial too. This was a woman with a baby in her stomach. She didn’t deserve to die like this.”
Police spokesperson Cecelia Clarke, when contacted, confirmed that the Liberia National Police has launched an investigation into the matter. However, she insisted that the LNP has not yet received a formal complaint from the family.
A press release issued by the police on May 13 acknowledged public concerns over the incident and confirmed that the Zone 3 Depot 1 commander had been linked to the case. The release assured the public that the LNP is conducting a “full and impartial investigation” and urged citizens to remain calm.
Meanwhile, several residents of the Old Road community have come forward with their own grievances against Officer Wulah, painting a troubling picture of a man with a history of unchecked aggression.
“Ricky Ross always acts like he above the law,” said one resident, who asked not to be named for fear of retaliation. “He roughs people up for no reason.”
As the Kiatamba family mourns and demands accountability, the nation watches closely to see whether justice will prevail, or whether yet another case of alleged police brutality will fade away without consequence.
Source: The Liberian Imvestigator
