Published: October 1, 2025
MONROVIA — Criminal Court ‘B’ at the Temple of Justice on Wednesday sentenced an unlicensed practitioner to life in prison for the death of a patient following an unauthorized surgery at his clinic in the Jacob Town community of Paynesville.
Judge Wesseh A. Wesseh handed down the sentence against Sam Worlobah, operator of the Lofa Medical Services Clinic, after a jury found him guilty of murder on Sept. 15. Ten of the 12 jurors voted for conviction.
The court ruled that Worlobah — who admitted he was not a licensed medical doctor but an “apprentice” who learned surgical procedures informally — knowingly performed an appendectomy without proper certification or referral to an accredited hospital, leading to the death of Samuel P. Kollie on March 19.
“The gruesome photos of the deceased, with crude abdominal incision marks, speak volumes to the barbarity of the act,” Judge Wesseh said, calling the clinic “a killing chamber” established to profit at the expense of patients’ lives.
Before sentencing, a tearful Worlobah pleaded for mercy, citing the death of his wife and the plight of his children. The judge rejected his plea, noting that the state had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt and that his conduct showed “premeditation and malice aforethought.”
The defense’s motion for a new trial was denied. Defense counsel has appealed to the Supreme Court.
Fatal Procedure
According to the indictment, Kollie sought treatment for abdominal pain at Worlobah’s clinic on March 18. Worlobah diagnosed appendicitis and performed surgery for a negotiated fee of $225. Kollie died the next day while recovering at the unaccredited facility, which lacked proper surgical equipment and oversight from the Liberia Medical and Dental Council.
The Ministry of Justice presented five witnesses and one rebuttal witness; the defense called two witnesses. The court cited Supreme Court precedents — including Kpolleh v. Republic of Liberia (1990) — in affirming the jury’s verdict that Worlobah’s unlawful surgery was the proximate cause of Kollie’s death.
Family’s Loss
In a victim-impact statement, Kollie’s sister Mary Kollie said the family had been left destitute, noting that the deceased was the main breadwinner and left behind a two-year-old daughter. She urged the government to ensure justice.
The court ordered the Ministry of Justice’s probation division to complete a pre-sentencing report, which described Worlobah as a trained surgical technician but not a licensed surgeon.
Worlobah was taken to the Monrovia Central Prison to begin serving his life sentence.
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