Gboko Stewart, gboko@journalrage.org
Monrovia-Joshua Solomon, the flamboyant model and beauty pageant trainer who was severely beaten supposedly by partisans of the Unity Party during the just ended electoral political campaign, has passed.
Solomon, 35, a member of the outgoing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) of President George M. Weah succumbed to his injuries sustained on August 11, when he was spotted and beaten by alleged partisans of Unity Party around its campaign office headquarters in Sinkor.
Solomon’s spotting and subsequent brutalization were preceded by an earlier clash between partisans of the Unity Party and the Coalition of Democratic Change near the Vamoma House that left a score of people from both parties wounded.
The clash reportedly started when partisans of the CDC attempted to prevent the convoy of its political rival–the UP– from making its way to their campaign headquarters to herald the launch of the campaign.
But other media reports quoting the CDC said the clash began when a bike rider, believed to be a member of the CDC, was attacked by members of the Unity Party.
Sources say Solomon was in the wrong place at the wrong time donning a beret with the CDC’s insignia when he was spotted by some alleged incensed members of the Unity Party who rushed on him like a whirlwind.
In a video that has since gone viral across social media, a hapless Solomon can be seen struggling to get away as he was being attacked with deadly objects. He eventually escaped the wrath of the angry crowd and sought treatment at a local health center.
At the local health center, a battered and bruised Joshua Solomon can be seen sitting with copious blood seeping through the thick and cascading dreadlocks on his head.
But nearly three months following the incident, the model gave up the ghost on Friday, December 1 at a local hospital.
A medical report being bandied on social media from a local health center showed that he suffered a concussion, severe bruises, physical trauma, encephalitis, mild dislocation etc.
journalRAGE has not been able to authenticate the veracity of the report which emanated from Fredai Medican and Eye Clinic in Paynesville.
Francis Kpoleh, administrator of the clinic, did not respond to journalRAGE’s calls for authentication of Solomon’s death certificate.
Joshua’s alleged death certificate
Who was Joshua?
Joshua Solomon, a 2009/2010 graduate of Monrovia College, was a senior student at the AME University where he studied Sociology.
The Monrovia College Alumni Association declined to issue a statement on his death.
Solomon worked at the Ministry of Information as a National Pageant Trainer. He represented the country in several international fashion and modeling competitions.
Joshua in a photo shoot. Courtesy of Facebook
Philimena Capehart, a student of Solomon paying tribute in a Facebook post, described him as being patient.
“You had many of us backs, you tutored us on so many occasions and yet you never got tired of doing so. If I had not taken any of our conversation seriously, the one we had a few months ago that I should not give up on my dreams cause I’m good at it and just need time to make a name I will.”
UP Supporter Faces Accusation
As news of Joshua’s death spread rapidly like a wildfire across social media, it has also sparked wild accusations with the ruling CDC and some members of the public pointing fingers at a vociferous female supporter of the Unity Party as being one of the ring leaders caught on camera in the brutalization of the deceased fashion model.
Queen Johnson, a light-skinned Unity Party supporter is seen in the viral social media attempting to catch Solomon who struggled to free himself from her grip amid the onslaught of attack with deadly weapons being meted against him.
Queen, according to supporters of Unity Party and CDC who spoke to journalRAGE on anonymity, is very fond of leading unprovoked violence.
Queen Johnson, a Unity Party partisan accused as one those who assualted Joshua Solomon, in a photo with President-elect Joseph Boakai, standard bearer of the Unity Party
In another video published a while ago, the Unity Party supporter in an unprovoked attack landed a slap on the face of Mr. Wen Sailey, a deceased partisan of the CDC and an ex US Marine. Sailey, in a calm composure, did not react.
Following the release of Joshua’s brutalization video, several Liberians on Facebook have called on the Liberia National Police for Queen Johnson to be prosecuted for the visible role in the brutalization that allegedly led to his death.
Abu M. Sherif, sharing the video post on facebook, says he wonders if Johnson is above the law as she hasn’t been arrested. “Why is she so untouchable? Who is this Queen Johnson?”
Aletha M. Gbah says she believes Joshua’s sole sin he committed was to be a member of the CDC. “Queen Johnson, continue to watch your back for six years!! But you have blood on your hands.” Her statement was followed by a slew of angry emojis.
But Queen Johnson, responding to the avalanche of posts calling for her arrest and open threats, challenged her accusers to bring evidence of her role in Solomon’s demise.
“Your really love my name ooo!!,” she wrote. “Can you guys plz show the part i play in this entire video? Your belly leave my dammm name and focus on your 12 years Opposition life’s.”
Unity Party, CDC Call for Prosecution
The palpable anger of Solomon’s death is being felt across the political aisle as both parties have called for the launch of an investigation into his demise.
Montserrado County District#8 outgoing Representative in the Legislature, Acarous Moses Gray, in a Facebook post called on the leadership of the CDC to demand justice for the widely known beauty pageant trainer.
“I repeat that the leadership of the CDC must demand Justice now and this must never go unpunished. See in the first video how a UP lady was the first to hit Joshua on the head. Where are the human right advocates and female advocates of Liberia?”
Rep. Gray’s post was followed by another post warning that inaction on the part of law enforcement will lead the CDC to find other alternatives under the law. “We demand an immediate action by the Liberian National Police and give them up to Monday to act or we will take the necessary legal and constitutional actions.”
Rep. Gray’s sentiments were shared by Mohammed Ali, spokesperson of the Unity Party, who also called for the arrest of those seen in the video assaulting Joshua.
“I watched a video of a group of people beating a young man, whom I’m told name was Joshua, with dreadlocks,” Ali wrote. “I have understood that he died as a result of that mob beating.
“If it is true, then the police should use that video to identify all those involved arrested and prosecuted for such a horrible act. We cannot continue to condone mob justice in our country as a means of solving problems. My condolences to his family and loved ones. We demand justice for him and others who have met similar fate.”
LNP Launches Probe
While news of death is causing an outcry, the Liberia National Police has launched an immediate probe into his passing. The spokesperson of the Liberia National Police, H. Moses Carter, during a press stakeout, said Solomon’s death will be duly investigated by the law enforcement body.
“Joshua’s death will be duly investigated with time, and I can assure you with time, justice will be served.”
According to the Police spokesperson, preliminary reports available suggest that Solomon died from internal bleeding. “It is reported that he was one of those victims of aggravated assault during the campaign. And so we have collected some video footage in our possession as it relates to the incident.”
He called on the public to assist the Police with video evidence in order to arrest perpetrators of the act. He said arrests will be made next week to bring perpetrators to justice.
Responding to a journalist’s question about the female Unity Party partisan whose face is seen in the video, Carter said, “If Queen Johnson is caught in the video–if she is caught in that video, she is not above the law—the law will take its course.”
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