A devastating motorcycle accident on the Tappita-Saclepea road resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including a police officer, a rape suspect, a community watch forum officer, and the motorcyclist.
According to reports from the Daily Observer Nimba Correspondent, the police officer, Ephraim S. Gbuah, accompanied by a member of the community watch forum, was escorting a rape suspect, Lamine Sanoe, to Sanniquellie when their motorcycle skidded and fell into a creek near Loyee Town.
The accident caused severe injuries to all four individuals, with the rape suspect found handcuffed facedown in the water and the police officer suffering significant facial wounds.
This tragic incident shocked the community of Tappita in central Nimba, occurring during the special prayer holiday on July 30, 2025, around 3 pm. Tappita is located approximately 138 kilometers from Sanniquellie, and cases requiring transportation to the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court are usually transferred there via Ganta.
Motorcycles are often favored as a cost-effective means of transportation due to their speed and flexibility, particularly for transferring suspects to higher courts or prisons. In these circumstances, the financial burden usually falls on the victim’s family, making it challenging to afford alternative modes of transport, especially for individual transfers.
The Nimba Police Detachment, under the leadership of Commander APC Larmine Mendin, confirmed the tragic incident, stating that one officer had been killed but offering limited details at this time.
The cause of the accident remains unclear, though some eyewitnesses speculate that the suspect’s actions may have contributed to the loss of control and subsequent crash over the bridge into the water. Concerns have been raised about the speeding and reckless driving behavior along the Saclepea-Tappita road, leading to numerous accidents and fatalities.
