Murder Trial Update: We Didn’t Investigate All

… State Witness, A Ghanaian, Told Court Of Crime Scene
Ears were raised in the Angel Tokpah murder trial at the Criminal Court “B” at the Temple of Justice when the head of Ghanaian team of investigators that accompanied the Ghanaian-based pathologist to Liberia 2008 told the Court Wednesday that his team did not investigate the entire perimeter of the crime scene.
Represented by Solicitor General – M. Wilkins Wright, County Attorney J. Darku Mulbah, Human Rights Lawyer T. Dempster Brown and Justice Ministry Attorney ASamuel Jacobs, the State imported the Ghanaian investigators headed by Inspector Alex Asanmoa Franpona who, however, told defense cross examination led by Cllr. Pearl Bull who was in court lead defense lawyers Musa dean that the Ghanaian homicide investigators were given the mandate by the Justice Ministry of Liberia to investigate the cause of death of 13-year-old Angel Tokpah in 2008 when the Liberian Government invited the intervention of Ghanaian experts in murder investigation of the 13-years-old boy.
Inspected Franpona, who claimed high knowledge and professionalism when he was quizzed on his background, responded to defense lawyer Pearl Bull’s question by further saying that his team did not asked neighbors as to their knowledge of what happened in the neighborhood regarding the alleged murder of little Angel Tokpah.
The Ghanaian inspector who is the ninth prosecution also disclosed in open court that although his team visited the John F. Kennedy medical center where little Angel Tokpah was taken and pronounced dead, members of the Ghanaian homicide investigators did not meet Dr. Jallah who was the medical practitioner that was responsible to give them the medical report of the ‘murdered’ adolescent to them.
According to him, Dr. Anthony Quaye, a Liberian practitioner who was at the JFK, confirmed to the Ghanaian homicide team accompanying the Ghanaian-based Cuban pathologist that Dr. Jallah was not at the hospital at the time. He however, said “We had Dr, Jallah’s report, adding that the investigation of the Angel Tokpah homicide affair was his first international experience as a crime investigator in the Ghanaian police.
“Our specific mandate was to investigate cause of death…” Inspector Franpona told the lawyer on the cross, noting we arrived in Liberia on January 13, 2008, met the Minister of Justice, Philip A. Z. Banks who give them the briefings “and tasked us to investigate the cause of death of Angel Tokpah”.
According to Inspector Franpona, the met with the teams of Liberia investigators at a press conference held at the Ministry of Justice and requested them for court docket of the Angel Tokpah murder case so that the Ghanaian homicide team would start from where the Liberian teams stopped, but added that they Ghanaian team was told by its Liberian counterparts that there was no docket, and that they should start from scratch, which they did.

Mode of operation

Giving his testimony in chief on the direct examination, Inspector Franpona however told the court that the Ghanaian homicide investigators that came to Liberia for the case, including him, Homicide Investigator Inspector Charles Appiah and Crime Scene Technician Richard Anaty, investigated the entire household of Mr. Hans Williams “and their assertions were that they found the deceased hanging in a bathroom.”
Investigator Franpona explained that team took statements from occupants, and added that the investigators were told that Angel was discovered hanging by a son of Hans Williams, who was identified by name of Hans Williams, Jr.
Jr. Williams went into the bathroom to fetch bucket when he saw the deceased hanging, according to what the Ghanaian investigator told the court. Jr. Williams then raised alarm which alerted the entire household which include Hans and Mardea, Mrs. Henrietta Payku, Mr. Payku and little Angel Gargar and some security men at their security post, the prosecution ninth witness told the court.
Upon the alarm by Jr. Williams, Inspector Franpona said Mr. Williams, the security and Mr. Payku went into the bathroom just to see little Angel Tokpah hanging, the Ghanaian police agent said they were told during their investigation, saying that Hans and the security called kolleh, apparently a man living around, held the deceased while Mr. Payku rushed for a kitchen knife, which was used to cut the rope.
He said according to the narration, the deceased was gasping, when they rushed her to the hospital – the JFK Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead six minutes after arrival. Based upon the explanations provided by the Hans Williams Household, the Ghanaian police asked members of the household present to demonstrate the crime scene after which the team of Franpona took measurement of the bathroom, saying, “the household did not object.”
On January 16, 2008, Inspector Franpona indicate, the Ghana-based Cuban pathologist the Ghanaian police accompanied to Liberia performed the second autopsy on the mortal remains of little Angel Tokpah in the presence of the Ghanaian team, some personnel of the crime service department of the Liberia National Police, some UNMIL personnel, father of the deceased, a group of women and Dr. Anthony Quaye. After the examination, the Ghanaian officer said the pathologist gave findings as “asphyxia secondary to strangulation.”
The witness who was discharged was preceded by the prosecution’s 8th witness, another Ghanaian security agent who ruled out suicide hanging on the part of Angel.

International witness ruled out suicide

The state’s first international witness in the Angel Tokpah murder case says it was not possible for the 13-year-old to have hanged herself where it was alleged she hanged herself.
Chief Investigator Charles Appiah said family assertions that little Angel died by hanging was not realistic. The Ghanaian Detective’s testimony supports earlier testimonies by some senior LNP officers that the victim was taller than where it was alleged she hanged herself.
The Ghanaian homicide investigator says the diagram of the crime scene on the court’s file give full backing to the testimonies of the local and international investigators. Chief Inspector Appiah also confirmed that Dr. Anthony Quaye was part of the second autopsy the Cuban pathologist conducted.
Dr. Quaye testified Monday and told the court his autopsy report was not satisfactory. Another international investigator is expected to testify Wednesday at Criminal Court B.
The author of the controversial autopsy, performed on body of little Angel Tokpah has testified in the murder case. Prosecution produced Dr. Anthony Quaye instead of one of its international witnesses as was earlier announced. Dr. Quaye told the court, he was not satisfied with the first autopsy report which sparked public outcry two years ago. The doctor said the mode of death was not included in the first report because of his reservation.
According to Dr. Quaye, he did not get the full cooperation of the first police investigation team. Dr. Quaye claimed former CID boss Stephen Zargo told him the case was suicidal even before the autopsy was done.
He said every time he requested the police findings to compile the autopsy report, Attorney Zargo told him the case was suicidal.
Commentators say this latest information sound good. I believe Dr. has realized his mistake and now willing to admit the facts. That is the right thing. As professionals we should never comprise our intergrity regardless of prevailing circumstances.
The Quality of our works should in no way be a function of influence of what ever kind. We should remain professional under all circumstances.
The suspected killers of little Angel Tokpah have again pleaded not guilty to the indictment against them. Hans and Mardea Williams pleaded not guilty to the murder charge Monday at Criminal Court B.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams also waived jury trial before hundreds of people who went to see the trial. Government accused the couple of hanging the body of the 13-year-old in a bathroom of their house after killing her.
According to the indictment, Mrs. Williams met Mr. Williams sexually abusing Angel and out of anger strangled the girl to death. The couple and their family members denied the allegations and said the girl hanged herself.
At least three autopsies have been done to settle the controversies surrounding Angel Tokpah’s death.
Government did two and the defense did one.

H’Right lawyer thrown out

Meanwhile, legal proceedings at Criminal Court "B" recently came to a stand still when defendant Hans Williams informed his lawyers who were busy perusing some documents that human right lawyer, Cllr. Dempster Brown was in the restroom with witness Joseph Flomo who asked the Judge to use the restroom.
The information which claimed the attention of the defense counsel prompted the two defense lawyers, Cllrs. Pearl Brown Bull and Francis Galawolo to rush into the restroom to find out what was transpiring between the witness and Cllr. Dempster Brown.
The defense counsel then forwarded the issue to the attention of Judge Dixon who was presiding. Commenting on the act, Judge Dixon said the presence of Cllr. Brown in chamber has not been made known to him. Though he has been sitting with the prosecution since the case resumed on Monday, it was not clear whether he was part of the prosecution team. Judge Dixon said.
Judge Dixon without delay ordered the immediate eviction of Cllr. Dempster Brown from the chamber of the court since the state failed to give account of him.
Following the eviction of the human right lawyer from the premises of the court chamber, the witness was asked to continue his testimony.
In his testimony, witness Joseph Flomo of Criminal Investigation Division of the Liberia National Police told the court that it was not possible for Angel Tokpah to have committed suicide according to police investigation.
The witness also mentioned in his testimony that the measurement taken at the place the girl allegedly hung herself proved different from the guidance claimed. He said the late Angel Tokpah measured 4ft 9 inches and the rope she allegedly used was 3ft 8inches making it longer than the distance between the floor and the place where the rope she used to hang herself was tied before putting same around her neck. He furthered that if the rope is tied on her neck that means she will rather sit on the floor than hanging.
Witness Flomo's testimony was followed by a direct and cross examination by state and defense lawyers respectively.
The two defendants, Hans and Mardea Williams were very attentive taking and passing notes to their lawyers as the witness testify.
November 30, 2007 was a dark day for 13-year old Meideh Angel Tokpah who was found hanging at 7:30 pm in a bathroom of her guardians on the Old Road, Sinkor, in Monrovia.
Just before her lifeless body was submitted to postmortem examination, the police issued a statement that she committed suicide, which corroborated her guardian, Hans Williams.
Women, student and youth groups and human rights organizations challenged the police report. But the postmortem report #009 conducted by Anthony S. Quaye raised more questions than answers. However, an autopsy performed by foreign experts has found out that Angel was not only sexually abused, she was strangled to death.

Historical Perspective

Students of Christ the King School Old road had just begun their weekend on November 30, 2007 when the news broke that one them, 13-year old adolescent Meideh Angel Togba was dead.
Little Angel, weighing 38 kg and 150 cm tall, was found hanging from a belt in the bathroom of her Guardian Mr. Hans Williams. The alarm was blown, neighbors converged at the Williams' residence, and the police was alerted.
Police reported that little Angel died on the same Friday, Nov. 30, 2007 at 7:30 as a result of hanging. The body was then submitted to the Medical Examiner of the Liberian National Police, Anthony S. Quayee.
Mr. Quayee conducted the postmortem examination while the body of the deceased was yet un-embalmed, frozen, partially dressed in a multiple color blouse and multiple colors torn panties.
No mention was made in the autopsy report as to what partially tore Angel's panties, but the report admitted the deceased suffered a violent death.
Describing the vaginal orifice, Dr. Quayee said Angel's heymen was broken with irregular edges. A medical practitioner who spoke with The Analyst when the "heymen" is broken a female is said to be de-virginized.
The Quayee autopsy also said the "mucobloody vaginal" discharge was present on the body of Angel Togba.
In his conclusion, Quayee said there was evidence of a torn panties, but claimed that during the investigation, "the evidence of sexual abuse couldnot be established because of duration elapsed before the postmortem examination was performed".
Quayee said in his report that Angel's Suprebubic hair (hair around her private part), vaginal secretion, vaginal tissue were taken for DNA analysis, if sponsored.
Reading the report during a press conference, Solicitor General Tiawan Gongloe said there was no foul-play in the death of little Angel, but that met public dissension.

New Autopsy report

Liberia's Justice Minister, Cllr. Philip A.Z. Banks yesterday released the autopsy report of the late little Angel Tokpah conducted by a Ghanaian Pathologist with 32 years of experience and Prof. Dr. Josefa Jimenez Hernandez.
A second autopsy was ordered by the government of Liberia following public out cry that the Quayee postmortem report was faulty. The Ghanaian Pathologist, Prof. Dr. Hernandez was seconded to conduct a new autopsy.
According to the findings of the new autopsy on the embalmed body of Angel, the 13-year old girl was reportedly sexually abused and strangled to death.
In his concluding comments, Dr. Hernandez said: "The review of the postmortem report and the examination of the photographs in the process of the re-examination demonstrated evidence of violence."
The Ghanaian Pathologist also said: "This case describes morphological changes in the neck, respiratory system and the external genital. Alleging, she was sexually violated and strangled before the hanging."
Latest news on the trial have it that Cllr. Banks said some parts were taken off the body of little Angel but said those parts were later discovered at the Samuel Striker Funeral home.
The previous autopsy report said those parts were extracted for DNA test which was not done before the new autopsy was conducted. He said the study of the initial autopsy photographs indicated diffused scratches on the Suprapubic (private) area, and burns on the supero-anterior side of booth thighs.
Meanwhile, police sources have disclosed that Mr. & Mrs. Hans Williams have been arrested and detained at the National Police Headquarters on Capitol Hill and are been interrogated.
In the mean time, Justice Minister Philip Banks said the body of little Angel will be tuned over to her parents after investigation of the missing parts is concluded.
He then promised the government will speedily prosecute those connected to the death of Meideh Angel Togba.
18th January, 2008 Report of review of postmortem conducted on deceased Meideh Togba was upon a request received from the Acting Head of Ghana Mission in the Republic of Liberia for assistance in respect of a review of an autopsy, I arrived in Monrovia on the 14th January 2008 to undertake the re-examination.
On Wednesday 16th January 2008, the body was made available to me at the Samuel Stryker Funeral home, in attendance to witness were the following: During the autopsy, representation include Crime Service Department of Liberia, the United Nations, the Criminal Investigations Department of Ghana,
women in peace building network of Liberia, the father of the deceased, Mr. Togba during which external examination was conducted and found that the body was that of an embalmed female adolescent.

Marks of Violence:

The body had a ligature mark from internal lateral right side to the internal lateral left side of the neck surrounded by diffused petechial hemorrhages that extended to the right cheek. In the photographs of the Initial examination. The study of the initial autopsy photographs indicated a diffused scratches or abrasions on the suprapubic area and burns on the supero-anterior side of both things. The examination of the embalmed body revealed the disappearance of the epidermis and hair of the suprapubic area.
Again, the vestibular and the minor labial tissues and the vaginal wall components of the external genital were not found. The internal face of the left thing showed scratches. The chemical used for the embalmment, thus formalin 10%, can only preserve the tissues and change the color. According to Dr. Anthony S. Quayee who performed the initial autopsy, the epidemis and pubic hair were taken for DNA analyses.

Internal Examination

The internal examination of the body revealed the disappearance of parts of the respiratory system including laryngeal structure, trachea and bronchial (airways). Studies of the initial autopsy photographs showed the dissection of the neck and a review of the structure indicated a diffused hemorrhage in the subcutaneous tissue.
According to the examination, the tarynx and the trachea were dislocated and surrounded by traumatic hemorrhagic injuries Lungs show diffuse areas of atelectases and hemorrhage. The heart covered by pericardium sac, and a dissection showed diffused petechial hemorrhage for Asphyxia.
The Liver, it was said then, was pale and showed no abnormality. The spleen was congestive. The kidneys were pale. On cutting section the cortical area was pale and pyramid with severe congestion due to the loss blood for the laceration of the vessels (carotid arteries and yugular vein localized in the laterals side of the neck). Brain shows congestion and moderate edema. Rest of the organs no evidence of alteration seen.