Three elderly men have been sent to court for allegedly abstracting the private part of a dead woman in Margibi County. The men were arrested, investigated, and charged by the Liberia National Police in Kakata for grave robbery and ritualistic practices of allegedly desecrating a grave and stealing from a corpse.
Those arrested are Joseph Dolo, 53, James Flomo and Harrison Binda, and they face charges of Abuse of Corpse and Theft of Property in violations of Liberia Penal Code.
The charges stem from an incident on January 6, 2025, at Dillon Farm, where the suspects allegedly exhumed the grave of Sianneh Ndorbor, a recently buried woman, and stole personal belongings, including jewelry, shoes, and clothing.
Disturbingly, they are also accused of extracting the deceased’s genitalia, purportedly for ritualistic purposes. Their complaint and arrest came to light when complainant James Gondon, nephew of the deceased, reported suspicious activities following his discovery of the tampered grave on January 7, 2025.
Three days after Ms. Ndorbor’s burial, her grave was found burst open with valuables missing, but the grave was resealed hastily due to the odor, a deeper investigation revealed a more heinous act. Police arrested the suspects on January 13, 2025, following a tip-off about a human genitalia allegedly in the possession of one of the accused.
Chief Inspector Alexander S. Diggs, who led the arrest, confirmed that the human part, identified as belonging to the deceased, was found in suspect Joseph Dolo’s bag during a confrontation mediated by Town Chief Francis Massaquoi. During police interrogation, Joseph Dolo admitted to the crime, claiming he was coerced by Flomo and Binda, who promised financial rewards.
Defendant Dolo described how the grave was opened using metal rods and detailed the removal of valuables and the corpse’s genitalia, allegedly intended for ritual purposes.
James Flomo denied involvement, asserting that Dolo implicated him out of spite for exposing him. Harrison Binda also denied complicity, claiming Dolo showed him the body part in the bush and attributed its origin to a spiritual dream.
The gruesome nature of the crime has sparked outrage in Dillon Farm Community and beyond. Town Chief Massaquoi and other locals expressed shock over the incident which has heightened fears of ritualistic practices in the area. The suspects have been formally charged with violations under Chapter 18, Section 18.12, and Chapter 15, Section 15.51 of Liberia’s Revised Penal Code.
By T.Q. Lula Jaurey
