-Over LRD$30 Dispute with Coconut Seller
By: G. Bennie Bravo Johnson
The Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged 22-year-old Folley Gbanja of Banior Community with the murder of Enoch Morris, a coconut seller, following a violent altercation over LRD$30. The incident occurred at Banior Junction along the Hotel Africa Road, where Gbanja allegedly stabbed Morris multiple times after becoming impatient while waiting for his change.
Gbanja has been formally charged with murder under Chapter 14, Section 14.1(b) of the Criminal Procedure Law, which addresses acts committed with “indifference to the value of human life.” The LNP stated that the defendant’s actions demonstrated extreme recklessness and a blatant disregard for human life, leading to Morris’s tragic death.
According to the police investigation, the incident unfolded on February 2, 2025, when Gbanja approached Morris to purchase a coconut. Gbanja handed Morris LRD$100 for a coconut priced at LRD$70. However, Morris did not have the LRD$30 change and asked Gbanja to wait while he searched for it. After attempting to get change from two nearby locations without success, Morris returned empty-handed.
The situation escalated when Gbanja grew impatient and demanded his change. Morris reportedly responded, “It’s like you came from taking Kush, ehn!”—a statement that allegedly infuriated Gbanja. In a fit of rage, Gbanja grabbed a knife from Morris’s wheelbarrow and stabbed him in the thigh. Morris fled to a nearby Fula shop for safety, but Gbanja pursued him and stabbed him a second time, causing severe bleeding.
Morris was rushed to Redemption Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival (DOA) by attending medical personnel. The police investigation concluded that Gbanja acted knowingly and willingly, showing no remorse for his actions.
The charge sheet states: “Defendant Folley Gbanja committed the crime of murder, knowingly and willingly, without any remorse or consciousness of the gravity of his actions.”
The case has shocked the local community, highlighting the tragic consequences of unchecked anger and violence over seemingly trivial disputes. Gbanja, who was arrested on February 17, 2024, is now awaiting trial as the judicial process moves forward.
