A long-time quarrel between male neighbors in a Monrovia suburb of 72nd Community, Paynesville, has led to one person biting off his colleague’s right ear completely.
By Emmanuel Wise Jipoh
Paynesville, Liberia, September 26, 2024 – A man said to be in his 20s, identified as Emmanuel Smith, has chewed off the right ear of his 45-year-old neighbor, Orlando Flomo, in 72nd Community, Paynesville, in an apparent grudge.
According to victim Flomo, they had a fistfight some weeks ago, after a quarrel when he accused Emmanuel Smith’s sister’s son, only identified as “Philip,” of beating his daughter, Julie Flomo.
Mr. Flomo, who is seeking Justice and suffering tremendous pain, narrated to the New Dawn that late Sunday evening, September 23, 2024, while watching a football game at the 72nd Barrack Field, Suspect Emmanuel Smith unknowingly held his eyes and bit his right ear out before escaping the scene, but was later caught by community dwellers and turned over to the Police.
He explains that ever since, Smith has held a grudge against him (Flomo) for attempting to intervene and resolve an earlier dispute between the accused and a man identified as Dada David, his brother-in-law with whom he shares a room within the community.
Flomo continued that his brother-in-law, Dada David, and Suspect Emmanuel Smith were sleeping in the same room rented by Dada’s sister when the rental expired.
He said the landlord asked them to vacate the room, but Suspect Smith informed his father, who rebooked the room for them, unknown to Dada, that he had gone to seek assistance from relatives to pay the rent.
However, upon his return, Suspect Emmanuel Smith’s father had already paid for the room, and it was then that Smith told Dada the room now belonged to him (Smith) because his father spent the rental.
After Dada heard that he was no longer needed in the room, he decided to remove his personal belongings, which Smith allegedly rejected. This led to a fits-fight between the pairs in which Smith complained to Dada of springing his fingers after he sustained a fracture and chased him with a mortal pencil while shouting “rouge-rouge.”
Residents assisted Smith as he got hold of Dada and hit him with the mortal pencil, leaving his victim lying helplessly. It was then that Orlando Flomo intervened, recommending that Dada be taken to the Police Station and warning that the matter shouldn’t be taken lightly.
After the incident, Suspect Smith harbored a grudge against Flomo for inquiring about the beating of his daughter when they had a fight, which was resolved.
“I didn’t know this Pekin had kept a grudge for me. Every time he passes by me and I speak to him, he doesn’t answer”, Flomo tells The NEW DAWN.
He continued: “It was Sunday evening while we were witnessing the football game at the Entertainment Center, a person held my eyes from the back, and while I was trying to identify the person as a girl I know, he grabbed my ear with his teeth and chewed it off; dropped it and ran to his mother, telling her he has revenged,” Flomo explains in tears.
According to him, he was rushed to Zone—9 Base Police Station in Jacob Town, Paynesville, and later forwarded to John F. Kennedy Medical Center, where he is now receiving medication pending Police investigation.
Meanwhile, Suspect Emmanuel Smith is being held in Police custody until Flomo recuperates before the parties can go through interrogation. Editing by Jonathan Browne
