-In Prison in Nimba County
BY: Shallon S.Gonlor
COCOPA, NIMBA CO.— A man in his 40s has died in jail in the Cocopa Magisterial Court, while facing sentenced to the court’s withholding cell for abandonment and persistent non-support.
Morris Gono, a Chief Mechanic of Nimba Rubber Incorporated (NRI) in Cocopa, Nimba County, died as a result of committing suicide. He was found hanging dead in the cell after his ex-fiance had earlier taken him to the court for child support.
According to report, following the court hearing into the matter, the deceased was ordered sentenced to the court’s withholding cell for abandonment and persistent non-support based on his failure to provide the necessary care for his siblings.
The Cocopa Magisterial Court is located on the Ganta-Saclepeahighway in Nimba County District #8. The laws on support, especially persistent non-support are found in the Domestic Relations Law of 1973, the Penal Law of 1976 (Section 16.5), and several Supreme Court Opinions of the Republic of Liberia.
A person commits a misdemeanor of the first degree if he persistently fails to provide support that he can provide and which he knows he is legally obliged to provide to a spouse, child, or other dependent, as specified in section 5.4 of the Domestic Relations Law.
Sources informed WomenVoices Newspaper that Morris Gonocouldn’t afford to pay his child support installments that the judge had ordered him to pay. He was found unresponsive inside his cell at the court cell on 3 July after spending days in custody, according to a report by the court officers.
His family was told that he died as a result of suicide, but they claim the court failed to provide him safety after he was left alone in his cell. Morris’ death, believed to be the first occurrence at the court is now under investigation.
