The Sinoe Ritualistic Murder Case

'Big shots' arrested

Then, on October 3, 1979, the Liberian Inaugural brought the big news: the arrests of the high-ups or 'big shots', as they are commonly called in Liberia.

Its headlines and following story brought sensation in the country:

"Sinoe Ritualistic Killing - Grigsby, 3 others arrested".

The article started as follows:

"Mr. Lloyd Grigsby, Inspector of Counties and brother of Senator Harrison Grigsby along with Mr. Moses Pajibo, Principal of the Sinoe High School, Mr. Napoleon Brown and Madam Mary Powoe have been arrested and detained in connection with the brutal murder of young Printice Hilton Tiah. This brings the number of those detained to twenty-nine." Among them was the uncle of the deceased, Mr. James Tiah, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent of Sinoe County. According to one of the main suspects, Joseph Frazier, James Tiah had asked him to kill his nephew so that he - Tiah - could become Superintendent of Sinoe County after his boss would have been appointed Minister of Defense or elected Senator. (The Liberian Inaugural, October 3, 1979). It should be noted that there were elections forthcoming, with - among others - Senator Harrison Grigsby seeking re-election.

Next: The trial

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