Monitor Newspaper

Isaac Vaye killers identified

-widow insists on ‘justice’

The killers of the late University of Liberia (UL) lecturer and former Deputy Minister of Public Works for Technical services, Isaac Vaye, have been identified by his widow, Suzanna G. Vaye.

She said all indications and personal investigations pointed to the fact that her late husband was killed in cold blood upon the orders of former President Charles Taylor and his former Special Security Service Director (SSS) Lt. Gen. Benjamin Yeaten.

Appearing before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as part of the commission’s ongoing national hearings, Mrs. Vaye explained that her late husband and the late Deputy National Security Minister for Operations, John Yormie were together on June 16, when former president Taylor sent SSS officer Richard Flomo alias “Banana” to accompany Minister Yormie to Executive Mansion.

She said considering the fact Yormie and Vaye were together when the president sent for him (Yormie), her husband then decided to accompany him, “but that was the saddest mistake that never brought him Isaac back to us.”

The tough-spoken widow told the TRC that all along, she and her children were being assured by other close associates including former President Moses Blah, then Vice President under Taylor that the former Artillery Commander of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) Joe Tuah was on his way to Monrovia with the two men, but to no avail.

According to her, other reports also suggested that her husband was alive and well in the hands of a former NPFL General Tiagan Wontee… that report was not verified.

She said after several inquiries from the appropriate authorities in Monrovia on the whereabouts of her husband, news started filtering into Monrovia that two prominent citizens of Nimba County were taken to Ganta on board SSS jeep with license plate 18, where General Yeaten was stationed directing the war between the government and the rebel Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy, (LURD).

“Based on that information, according to the former Superintendent of Nimba County Harrison Karnwea, he tried to inquire as to those that were taking to Ganta and for what, but was harshly told not to meddle in national security issue,” Mrs. Vaye quoted Mr. Karwea as saying.

“However, after months of twisting and turning without any success, I was finally informed on July 4 by Karwea quoting former president Taylor that my husband

was dead.” She said Karnwea was accompanied to her Soul Clinic residence by former President Blah, her uncle Price Myers and four additional persons.

Mrs. Vaye, who later burst up in tears before the full bench of the commission asking for the killers of her husband to face justice, said at that point she only asked “who killed, where did they kill him and how was he killed, because we need to give him a proper burial.”

“The TRC is not a court, but I would prefer for the killer of my late husband to face justice, she concluded.