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UNMIL Soldier Took Our Future Away - Deceased's Parents Crave Justice

The Analyst (Monrovia)
NEWS
January 21, 2005
Posted to the web January 21, 2005

"The way my son - my only son- died is hurting me. I am feeling pains and hurt
the way I am talking. So I do not have anything to say. Nothing can satisfy me
except the law. I want the person who killed my son go court and let the court
decide what will happen."
These were the words of the grieved mother of the later Robert Yancy, alias,
"Try Me." On Tuesday at about 4:00 pm, a Ghanaian UNMIL soldier allegedly shot
and killed her 20 years old son, Robert, on the Fishing Pier of the Free Port
of Monrovia after he was beaten and tortured by Nigerian UNMIL soldiers
assigned at the Sayon Town Gas Station on Tuesday.
The Nigerians allegedly acted on what many called "unsubstantial evidence"
shrouded on allegation of stealing. He was suspected of breaking into the gas
station last December and took away chairs.
Since the death of "Try Me" many have been calling for the law to take its
course, a view his parents also shared.
Speaking to The Analyst yesterday on her bereaved mat in Sayon Town, Madam Awee
Yancy, who is in her early 40s, said the only thing she is interested in is to
bring those behind the untimely demise of her to justice.
"I want to see the person who points my son out to the court so he can prove
where and when he saw my stole for which he was killed," she said sobbing.
Her son was reportedly pointed out by his friend, George Sando, who is said be
at large since the incident.
The late Robert was beaten by Nigerian UNMIL soldiers but killed by a Ghanaian
who according to reports was not a party to fracas. Hence, Madam Awee said she
also wants to see the UNMIL soldier in court to give account of his action.
"I feel hurt and I am not happy where I am because by son did not steal. He
does not know about stealing.
They just lie on him to kill him the way they did," she lamented as dozens of
relatives and sympathizers looked on despondently.
According to Madam Awee, her son was their breadwinner. "My son was doing
everything for me.
Anything I asked for, he gave it to me. But to my surprise, George lied on my
son and they killed him like that. En, I don't have any other son beside him.
He was the only one I was depending on," she reflected.
It seems a hard nut to crack to forgive the man who is accused of selling
Robert to death. Madam Awee said that she is not prepared to forgive anyone, if
they should ask for mercy.
"I do not want anything from them, they can have their family, they can have
money and they can have everything, I don't need it from them," she said,
adding that they family hurt her feelings to the extent that I won't get my son
back.
It appears that the only ounce of hope for her is the court, and not any amount
of comfort can supplant her pains. "I want the law to take complete control of
everything. I do not want anything from them," she added.
When asked whether she would like the alleged killer of her son be judged in
Liberia or Ghana, his native land, she said, I want for the people to judge him
here and let every body know that the reason for which he killed him is not my
son doing." The father of the deceased shared similar view in like manner. Mr.
John Yancy, Grebo, found it hard to state the depth of his pains, saying that
he would be commiserated he explained the level of pain he bears at the moment
because "In my flesh it is torn, in my eyes, I can see anything but an effigy
of my son." "I am hurt, greatly hurt," he told this paper, and indicated that
his late son was his only hope.
He said he has the has the capacity to revenge the death of his son but "I
cannot do it because we have law here, and so I leave it with the law." Mr.
Yancy who is in early 70s urged the government to do what it can do. "I want
the government to do what it can it do to satisfy me because I cannot get my
son back," he stressed in tears.
The late Robert aging father believes that the adherence to the rule of law in
this case would disprove those who may harbor the notion that he was a rogue or
a bad person.
"My son is not criminal. To prove it to the people, let them prove to me that
this is what your son has stolen for which he was killed, then I will be
satisfied," oldman Yancy surrounded by two of children said.
Like his wife, Awee, who earlier called for the UNMIL soldier to judged here in
Liberia, Mr. Yancy also wants him to be brought to justice "very fast" and I do
not want him to be taken to his country.
"I want them try him here because he did the act here," he said noting that
whatever the outcome is left with the law and that law will take its course
because anything one does, the law is applied to establish what happens.
He told The Analyst that his late son was the only dependable one because the
rest of the children are very small.
Mr. Yancy said he already made a "formal complaint to human rights institutions
such as the Catholic run Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), the government
through the police and others places.
Following the killing of "Try Me" his bullet body was taken to the morgue where
according to the father is being unattended to. "The same way they took him
from here is the same way he is lying in there, " he said, adding that no one,
either from government or UNMIL, has taken any action.
Now that the government or UNMIL is yet to show concern, he said the family is
contemplating taking the initiative. According to Mr. Yancy, they would hold
meeting today to discuss ways and means after which the date and day of his
bearer.
At the same it was disclosed that a team of UNMIL officers yesterday visited
the home of the deceased parents apparently to acquaint themselves with latest
developments.
However, a cousin of the deceased, Kegbehdu Livingstone who also spoke to this
paper yesterday said the UNMIL officers inquired whether the late Robert was a
rogue or not, but said he, "I told them that he was man of good character, who
did not appear in court for any thing when he was alive." Like the father and
mother, he is as well as craving justice. "I want the law to take its course
and those who behind his demise be brought to justice," he observed. For him,
he wants everybody, George Sando, who identified him, the killer and torturers
be brought to justice.

   

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