19-yr-old reportedly commits suicide in police cell

VOINJAMA  – Tensions are running high in Voinjama District, Lofa County, following the death of a 19-year-old man, identified as Yarkpawolo Moisemai, who reportedly died while in police custody at the Voinjama Police Station.

Police authorities claim Moisemai, who was arrested on December 31, 2024, along with four others in connection to the killing of a woman from Dogomai Town, allegedly committed suicide in the holding cell on Monday, January 6, 2025.

According to a police statement, Moisemai used his coat to hang himself inside the temporary detention cell. He had been detained after being accused of involvement in the killing of a woman who was found dead on her farm on New Year’s Eve.

Conflicting Accounts from Police Officials

Speaking on local radio stations in Voinjama on Tuesday morning, January 7, 2025, Lofa County Police Commander ACP Bob Jackson provided a different account of the circumstances leading to Moisemai’s death.

“We transferred him from the police depot to the central police station because he was providing sensitive information related to the death of the woman in Dogomai Town. We wanted to protect him from his colleagues in the cells. Unfortunately, we later received information that he was unconscious in the cell. He was rushed to the Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital, but the medical team pronounced him dead. We are awaiting the official medical report,” Jackson said.

Public Outrage and Tensions

The death has sparked outrage in Dogomai Town, where Moisemai hailed from. Angry residents have marched in large numbers to Voinjama City, blocking roads and demanding justice.

Journalists who visited the Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital late Monday evening reported that Moisemai was officially pronounced dead at around 9:00 PM.

Civil society organizations and local police have appealed to residents of Voinjama and surrounding towns to remain calm as investigations continue.