By Gboko Stewart, gboko@journalrage.org
Monrovia-Cheeseman Cole, ex-soldier of the Armed Forces of Liberia has been formally charged and forwarded to court.
Cole has been charged with Aggravated Assault, Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder, Possession, Sale of Physical Objects for Lethal Use, Felonious Restraint, and Theft of Property, according to the charge sheet in possession of journalRAGE.
The defendant has been charged alongside Emmanuel Tarpeh, who refers to Cole as ‘Daddy’. journalRAGE has not been able to identify biological or foster links between the duo.
Others collaborators of Cole charged in absentia are James, Galayi, Marcus and Junior.
The charge sheet stated that Cole’s antics violated chapter 14.20, chapter 10, section 10.1, chapter 17, section 17.11, chapter 14, section 14.51 and chapter 15, section 15.53 of the revised penal code of Liberia.
The Police stated its investigation revealed that Cole “is in the constant habit of chatting with victims on Facebook and inviting them to his RIA Highway residence where he usually grabbed, tied, and beat his victims.”
“After beating them, he takes their phones and money and warned them not to tell anyone, if they do, he will expose them on their Facebook account telling he world that they are gay or homosexual.”
The Police Charge sheet also stated its investigation established that 27 persons fell prey to Cole’s acts at different intervals. “…which is inhuman and cruel to the existence of human life.”
According to the Police, its investigation stated Cole admitted interacting with six of the of the twenty-seven persons who showed up to give evidence but denied interaction with Winston and Dominic.
But, the charge sheet stated, Cole’s accomplice admitted that he interacted with the missing men and they were tied, beaten and their moneys and phones were taken from them at different intervals.
However when asked over the non-inclusion of the charge of kidnapping in the charge sheet, lead detective on the case, jerry Wymah, stated that they could not determine the key element of ransom to warrant the charge.
The Police also stated an initial first round of search at Cole’s residence recovered a single barrel handmade pistol, two live rounds, one Liberia passport of another victim, citizen and ordinary ID cards, one AFL uniform trouser, one AFL rain coat, one AFL overnight jacket, kitchen knife, screw driver, scissors and one AFL helmet along with one hundred and sixty United States dollars.
The first court appearance of the case is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 21.