BY: Shallon S. Gonlor
NIMBA COUNTY: – The Resident Judge of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Nimba County has handed down life sentences verdict of two criminal defendant charged for separate heinous crimes in cases of murder, criminal attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault committed against two young women in the county.
On Monday, December 16, 2024, at the court’s final ruling and sentencing, loved ones of victims, including the husband of Mrs. Jessica David Wondah whose left one hand was chopped and cutoff in Ganta, and a father of Ms. Kou Dolo, a mother-of-six who was shot and killed by her long-time partner in their bedroom in April and July 2024 were among several family members and party litigants in the courtroom when the judge handed down the separate life sentencing judgment that have drew public mixed reactions, including praises in Nimba County.
At the call of the case for trial in court for the first time on November 19, 2024, both defendants, Danile N. Tokpah, a 55-year-old man, arrested, charged and forwarded to court for causing serious bodily injury to victim Jessica David Wonda that led to her hand cutoff and other parts damaged, and Emmanuel Socrate Gboe, 40, in connection with the killing of his long-time girlfriend, Kou Dolo, 35, for her alleged extramarital relationship and refusal to by him July 26 clothes, the defendants convicted pleaded guilty to all charges and counts in their cited in their indictments that were read by the clerk of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court on November 19, 2024.
The sentencing court judge, Pape Suah four pages verdict and two sheets court minutes adjudged guilty, 55-year-old, Daniel Tokpah who violently attacked and cutoff a young lady’s hand for passing his yard, thus sentencing him to 20 years in prison for the crimes of criminal attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault in violation of section 14.20 and 10.1 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia.
About nine months ago, the judge decided on a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for Daniel Tokpah, who worked as active staff and graduate of the Nimba University in SanniquellieCity prior to the incident.
Judge Pape Suah of the sentencing court handed the 20 years imprisonment, stating that “an extended sentence term may be imposed by the court on the defendant convicted, if the court finds that because of the dangerousness of the defendant, his incarceration and incapacitation is required for the protection of the public, and it further finds that one of the following grounds exists….,” citing Chapter 50.6 (Extended terms for felony convictions) of the Criminal Procedure Law.
The convict, Daniel Tokpah, who on April 7, 2024 chopped a young lady for passing his yard in the suburb of Ganta, pleaded for mercy and forgiveness in open court at the result of the incident that drew public attention to his attitudes toward Mrs. Jessica Wondah David.
On the fateful day of April 7, 2024, Tokpah, an employee of Nimba University, chopped Mrs. Jessica David Wondah’s hand with a sharp cutlass in Ganta, sustaining serious bodily harm inflicted and endangered her life, but some eyewitnesses believe was a long standing dispute between the two. Due to the actions, the community was deeply disturbed by the incident, prompting a strong reaction from the residents which further resulted in the destruction of Topkah’s property by an angry mob, incensed by his actions towards Jessica, a mother of three. The lady, who faced dismemberment and other injuries, continues to cope with the long traumatic aftermath of the assault.
The defendant and the victim lived in the same neighborhood right behind the Gbloyee Clinic in Ganta, which their houses shared a common boundary, but both of them are said to have always been at loggerheads a long time before the incident.
Standing trial in court and dressed in an orange inmate jumpsuit, Tokpah then stood to respond to the indictment. With his face turned down to the trial bar and backing the audience, the defendant convicted openly apologized to the court, victim and family members for his heinous actions.
“I’m sorry for my actions. But, Jessica David, the victim and her family constantly insult me and even threatened to kill me, something that prompted my decision to violently attack her to go beyond extra mad,” he apologized quickly. The defendant through his counsel, called on the court to council the victim and her family to forgive him on his behalf.
However, defendant Daniel Tokpah said he regrets his actions, appealing to Jessica and her family for forgiveness.
The court’s ruling says that “on April 9, 2024 the Magisterial Court of Gompa City, Nimba County charged defendant Daniel N. Tokpah with the crimes of criminal attempt to commit murder and aggravated assault based on the police investigative report and chargesheet dated April 8, 2024 wherein the defendant, Daniel N. Tokoah was charged and forwarded to court when he committed the crimes mention supra for criminal prosecution from whence the case travelled to this court for indictment since the crimes committed ere all indictable offenses when he committed these crime by committed causing serious bodily injury to the victim, Jessica David Wondah that led to her hand cutoff and other parts damaged as a result of her attack from said crimes which the victim stills undergoing treatment when she appeared in open court and testified on the witness stand.”
The grand jury of Nimba County on June 6, 2024 presented a true bill, subsequently and indictment was drawn against the defendant for the crimes charged. Thereafter, a writ of arrest was issued and the said writ was served on the defendant with copy of the indictment by the sheriff of the court and returns filed with the court, thereby bringing the defendant under the court jurisdiction for criminal trial.
When the case was called for trial, Defendant Daniel Tokpah entered a guilty plea and requested the court to allow he and prosecution to enter a plea bargaining agreement and thereupon, pleaded for mercy upon him.
The defendant and prosecution filed with the court, copy of the plea bargain agreement which stated inter alia that the defendant be sentenced for three years and that the time spent already in jail be deducted from the three years jail sentence requested and serve the remaining sentence time which was signed by both defendant and prosecution for the determination by the honorable court.
Based on the plea bargaining agreement read in court by the clerk of court, Judge Suah rejected and set aside the defendant guilty plea entered in line with the statutory law and requested prosecution to proceed with the trail in keeping with Chapter 16 section 16.4.4.6 of the amended Criminal Procedure Law which provides “Plea Bargaining” that states power of the court in plea bargaining.
Quoting the amended law, Judge Suah said “a court before which a charge is pending shall have the power to accept or reject a plea agreement consistent with the provision of the aforesaid law; or sentence a defendant in accordance with law which may include the sentence recommendation contained within the plea agreement”.
He noted that upon rejection by the court, the plea agreement shall be rendered null and void, and the court shall thereupon record a plea of not guilty with respect to such charge and order that the trial is proceeded with.
According to him, the court thereon proceeded with trial to know from the defendant his intention and or reason for committing such a grave bodily injury against the victim, Jessica David Wondah”.
Counsel for the defendant, however, objected to the trial on grounds that the defendant needed jury trial, but said objection was overturned by the court based on the defendant waiving his right jury trial when he enters guilty plea, something which the court said he cannot come back and request for jury trial as a matter of law. “Because when an indictment is read to criminal defendant in open court and the defendant elected to enter a plea as in the case at bar, his right to jury trial terminates wherefrom only the state will proceed to trial if order by the court to understand from the defendant reason why he or she committed such act of the court may impose conviction and order the sentence immediately.
Eighth Judicial Circuit Court Judge averred that at the trial, prosecution paraded three witnesses, the victim herself, and two others. He said the victim took the witness stand to testify, identify the body’s photos and the defendant, Daniel N. Tokpah in open court, stressing that her testimony corroborated with prosecution’s second witness and dispensed with the third witness.
According to the court, prosecution rested with the production of oral and documentary evidence and requested the court to mark the photos testified to, and identified by the witnesses to have same confirmed and reconfirmed to form a cogent part of the records in the case from which said photos of the victim, including the cutlass used were all admitted into evidence.
The court added that “defendant however, waived cross examination and also waived its side of the case to produce witnesses in his defense in keeping with the trial procedure”.
In the trial proceeding, the sentencing court ordered two minutes each argument at the close of the case when prosecution rested in toto. Prosecution argued it side and cited the relevant laws, but defendant counsel again waived argument and said they regretted the incident.
COURT’S FINAL JUDEMENT AND SENTENCING
The court ruled “it is a law in this jurisdiction that where there is no material fact in dispute the plaintiff is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law and that since the defendant has pleaded guilty to the crimes charged and the defendant having waived its rights, the court cannot do for him what he out o do for himself (1LCLR Chapter 11; Subsection 11.30 of the Civil Procedure Law). The best evidence which the case admits must always be produced; that is, no evidence is sufficient which supposes the existence of best evidence (1LCLR Chapter 25, subsection 25.6). As in the instance case and based on the facts and evidence adduced at trial, the state/prosecution has established a prima facie case that the defendant in the dock committed the crime charged which resulted into serious body injury against the victim for which she shall live with such pain and injury for the rest of her life as per the records before the court with the physical body displaced in court during the trial.”
Judge Suah says, the act of the defendant which physical evidence was demonstrated in open court by the victim is wicked, evil, unlawful and not normal, as such the act committed by the defendant was purposely done with the wicked intent to take away the life of the victim in the case as evidence by cutting her hand, several deep wounds inflicted on the victim’s body when defendant Daniel N. Tokpahused cutlass proving the criminal intent to commit murder and or to kill.
The court added: “considering the facts, circumstances as well as the evidence in these proceedings, the defendant id therefore adjudged guilty and convicted of the crimes charged and sentence for a period of 20 years in keeping with Chapter 50 subsection 50.6 of the Penal Law of Liberia (Extended terms for felony convictions).
Wherefore and in view of the foregoing facts, circumstances and the relevant laws stated herein above, it is the holding of this honorable court that defendant Daniel N. Tokpah be and he is hereby adjudged guilty of the crimes charged, convicted and also sentence to jail term of 20 years imprisonment. The clerk of this court is hereby ordered to prepare a commitment t have the convict serve at the ZwedruCorrections Palace immediately. AND SO ORDERED.”
But responding to the ruling, counsel for the defendant announced an appeal to the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia sitting in its March Term 2025 to take advantage of the law controlling, which the court granted in keeping with the law and ordered the immediate transfer of the convict to the Zwedru Corrections Palace while pending the high court hearing.
PRE-SENTENCE INVESTIGATION REPORT:
Before defendant Daniel N. Tokpah’s sentencing, a pre-sentence investigative report conducted and filed before the court on December 16, 2024 by the Supervisor of the Division of Probation Services Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation of the Justice Ministry in Nimba County, Marvis Geepearevealed an emotional testimonies by the victim and some citizens.
Community Version:
The probation officers visited Ganta on December 12, 2024 and talked to several individuals behind the Gbloyee Clinic where both defendant Daniel N. Tokpah and the victim, Jessica David Wondah lived prior to the commission of the crimes.
Prince Bumie, a neighbor of both defendant and victim explained that defendant Tokpah has been very aggressive since he moved into the environment up and including the main date of the commission of the crimes. Bumie told the Probation Officer defendant Tokpah most time , is seeing quarreling with people who tried passing in his yard, noting that the defendant yard is surrounded by many houses hosing some residents of the community.
Another neighbor, Patricia Blackie narrated that defendant Tokpah was always observed stopping people passing his yard. Meanwhile, Comfort Issacalso stated “defendant Daniel N. Tokpah and Jessica were always in constant misunderstanding and ha had always threatened Jessica David (victim).
She believes that the defendant’s action to chop and cutoff Jessica’s hand was planned and premeditated. Comfort concluded by saying “she and majority members of the community o not want to see him returning to the community, recommending to the sentencing court a toughest penalty for him where he will never have access to peaceful citizens of Liberia”.
Mr. Joseph B. Stephen who also lives in the same neighborhood with the defendant and victim explained that there were several threatening statements complain from Jessica that she alleged that the defendant directed at her until the date of the incident on April 7, 2024. He added “he and his family were the ones who rushed Jessica David to the United Methodist Hospital in Ganta for treatment when the incident occurred.
At the same time the Division of Probation investigation visited the Office of Business and Finance of the Nimba University in Sanniquelliewhere the defendant work until his gruesome attack of the young lady.
On December 13, 2024, Mr. Darius Dahn charted with probation investigative officers where he revealed a deep cordial working relationship with the defendant, but noted that he was shocked and surprised at his colleague after hearing his criminal actions that resulted a lady to be disabled.
VICITM’S STATEMENT WITH PROBATION OFFICERS:
Jessica David Wondah, the victim and mother of two children. She explained that she and the defendant Daniel Tokpah lived just next door in the same neighborhood. Jessica narrated that the defendant often threatened her over the issue of passing his yard.
According to her, defendant Daniel N. Tokpahthreatened to kill her and nothing will happen to him. She further stated that she was on her way to the market on April 7, 2024 hen Daniel N. Tokpahattacked her with a sharp cutlass, but while running for her life, he gripped and throw her down to the ground, stabbed she several times from the back, chopped and cutoff her left hand after she had fallen to the ground.
She added: “I am not yet well from the very day of the injury. I am currently in Monrovia going thoughmedical treatment, suffering a severe physiological problem that I posed to live with for life”. She noted she is living in a traumatic state currently. Jessica told Probation Officers that she has never receive any assistance for medical bills from defendant Daniel N. Tokpah and his family, including to showher concern since the horrific encounter.
IN ANOTHER CASE, a 40-year-old man who shot and killed his long time girlfriend in Gbarpa Town has been sentenced to 35 year prison term after both prosecution and defense counsels executed a plea bargain agreement with the consent of the defendant.
The court ruling on Monday, December 16, 2024 indicated that the convict’s 20 of the 35 years will be served in common jail and the remaining 15 years ordered suspended on parole to be served under the supervision of the Division of Probation of the Ministry of Justice.
The ruling comes based on a plea bargain agreement executed by and between the State and Public Defense Counsel with the acknowledgement of the convict.
“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing facts, circumstance and the relevant laws stated, the defendant in the dock is adjudged guilty for the commission of the crime of murder, a felony of the first degree, and is hereby sentenced to the prison term of 35 years. 20 of the 35 years will be served by the defendant in common jail and the remaining 15 years on parole at the central prison facility of Zwedru Correction Palace in Grand Gedeh County, Southeastern Region of Liberia, inclusive of the period of time already served by the defendant”.
In an 11 counts plea bargain which copy is in the position of this paper, Women Voices News correspondent of Nimba County, the Republic of Liberia by and thru Cllr. John D. Miah, CounyAttorney of Nimba, and Defendant Emmanuel Socrate Gboe, individually and his legal counsels, Cllr. Allen F. Gweh and Cllr. Tarlo N. Wehyee of the Public Defense Office of Nimba County pursuant to 4LCLR Title 26, section 14.1 as provided for in the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia entered into plea bargaining agreement, signing to terms and conditions of the legal instrument respectively.
At the call of the case, the defendant who was indicted on the 9th of November 2024 and has spent at least over one month in detention, the indictment was read to him on November 19 in open court and to which he pleaded guilty in the presence of his legal counsels or lawyers.
According to count three of the defendant guilty plea to the crime of murder and having entered into a plea bargaining which was accepted by the Ministry of Justice for mitigation purposes, the parties agreed that the defendant acknowledges, understands and agreed that in fact he is guilty of the offense charged in the indictment. The parties acknowledged and understand that if this case was to proceed to full trial, the Government of Liberia through the Justice Ministry would be able to prove the defense of facts laid in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant admits that the fact in the indictment is true and correct and established his guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
“That as defendant in the above entitled case; I am entering this plea bargaining agreement freely and voluntarily. I am not under the influence of any drug, medication, alcohol or other intoxicant or depressant, whether or not prescribed by a physician who impairs my ability to understand the terms and conditions of this agreement. I have discussed all aspects of the case with my Attorney and I am satisfied that my attorneys have provided me with effective assistance of counsel” defendant Emmanuel Socrate Gboe stated in a three page document dated December 16, 2024 filed by the clerk of court at the hour of 12:54 P.M.
It can be recalled on the night of Monday, July 29, 2024 in Gbarpa Town, the defendant convicted, Emmanuel Socrate Gboe allegedly killed his wife, Kou Dolo, 35, inside their bedroom with a single barrel gun, noting that his action was triggered by his wife alleged extra love affair with her ex-boyfriend in the US, and her refusal to buy him July 26 clothes.
Arrested and charged by police in Nimba County, the defendant, Emmanuel Socrate Gboe and his faience have lived together for about 25 years in the relationship with six living children in Gbarpa Town.
The police charge sheet details that during its preliminary investigation, defendant Emmanuel Socrate Gboe freely admitted to the allegation levied against him. He stated that he had been suspecting his wife to be in love affairs with a man in the United States of America who and this US man he alleged that consstantly sent money to the victim which she used to purchase clothes for her and her children but can’t do anything for him.
He also told the police that he kept it as malice and on the night of 29 July this year while they were in bed, asked his wife about how she got the money, which according to him, she didn’t say anything to him but sounded aggressive. In another interaction, he also narrated that when he asked the wife (deceased) for sex, she refused, an action he decided to kill her and escape.
Following his act, the defendant ran into the bush with the single-barrel gun he used to shoot himself, but while hiding in the bush over the days he was hungry and went in search for food, seeking help under the roof a kitchen in the village; a moment he was arrested by town people who later turned him over to the police.
The Resident Judge of the 8th Judicial Circuit Court, Pape Suah meanwhile issued a mandatory verdict, ordering the clerk of court to write a sentencing comment to the Division of Probation of the Ministry Justice for the immediate transfer of the two convicts, Daniel Tokpah and Emmanuel SocrateGboe to the Zwedru Corrections Palace in Grand Gedeh to serve their respective terms in prison.
