MONROVIA – The case in opposition to Chinese investor Michael Shio has taken a dramatic flip following the discharge of an official medical report from ELWA Hospital, contradicting claims that he poured scorching oil on alleged sufferer Momoh David.
Emmanuel Jones, contributing author
The findings have raised severe issues a few potential orchestrated smear marketing campaign involving Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) Director General Eugene Fahngon, who has been a vocal critic of Shio.
On February 19, the Monrovia City Court acquired the official medical report from ELWA Hospital after issuing a writ of subpoena duces tecum. The report, signed by Dr. Juvenal Musavuli Maghuta, a Consultant surgeon, contradicts earlier allegations that David was tortured with scorching oil by Shio on January 13, 2025.
Key Findings from the ELWA Medical Report
- David was admitted to ELWA Hospital on January 17, 2025, at 11:41 PM—4 days after the alleged assault.
- The accidents have been brought on by fireplace, not scorching oil.
- The burns occurred roughly 24 hours earlier than David’s hospital admission, that means he was injured round January 16—not January 13, as initially claimed.
According to some residence of Congo Town, these findings immediately contradict the narrative promoted by Eugene Fahngon and LBS, elevating issues about misinformation and potential manipulation of the authorized system.
Contradictions and Discrepancies
Despite the inconsistencies, Fahngon and state-owned LBS aggressively pushed the story that Shio tortured David. In a February 12, 2025, Facebook Live broadcast, Fahngon was seen prompting David to make deceptive statements. In the video, Fahngon repeatedly insinuated that David had been hospitalized since January 13, although David by no means confirmed this himself.
At the 4-minute mark of the video, Fahngon requested, “My understanding is that you spent three days in that compound, is that true?” David didn’t reply, however his mom replied, “yes.”
This declare contradicts police information, which point out that David was caught stealing on January 13 at 9:00 AM and dropped at Zone 3 Police Station by 10:30 AM—making it unimaginable for him to have been held captive for 3 days. David additional contradicted himself in a February 17 Spoon TV interview, the place he admitted being taken to the police station on the identical day because the alleged assault.
David’s History of Criminal Activity
Further investigation into Momoh David’s background reveals a historical past of theft and a number of encounters with mob justice:
- January 10, 2025 – Caught stealing wires from a Lone Star Tower; crushed by a mob. Incident recorded at Zone 3 Police Station.
- January 11, 2025 – Assaulted once more after being caught stealing close to Sando Cooper’s residence in Congo Town.
- January 12, 2025 – Tortured by a mob after one other theft try, dropped at Zone 3 Police Station however escaped en path to medical remedy.
- January 13, 2025 – Caught stealing a photo voltaic panel at Michael Shio’s building web site reverse RC Lawson School.
These repeated incidents recommend that David was concerned in prison actions and regularly suffered mob justice assaults, making it extremely believable that his burns resulted from a separate fire-related incident slightly than an assault by Shio.
Father and Family Members Deny Claims
David’s father, Eddie David, has dismissed allegations that his son was tortured by Shio. Speaking to reporters over the weekend, Eddie David said that his son was not crushed inside Shio’s compound however was as a substitute attacked by neighborhood dwellers after trying to steal photo voltaic lights.
“My son was severely beaten by the community dwellers of Congo Town back road. I was on a shift that night working in Shio’s compound and heard the noise outside. When I came out, I saw my son being beaten for stealing solar lights on Shio’s property. I intervened along with two others to calm the situation and took him inside the fence to inform Shio about what had happened. Shio then gave us US$20 to take him to the police station,” Eddie David recounted.
He additional alleged that sure people have been exploiting the state of affairs to tarnish Shio’s popularity and topic him to public ridicule.
Another member of the family, Joyce Teta Teage, additionally offered an announcement to the police contradicting the preliminary allegations. She confirmed that David’s burn accidents occurred on January 17, 2025—not January 13, 2025, as beforehand alleged. The ELWA medical report helps this declare, stating that David was admitted at 11:41 PM on January 17, 2025, and that his burns occurred roughly 24 hours earlier than admission, inserting the incident round January 16 or 17.
Legal and Political Implications
The state of affairs has drawn the eye of Liberia’s judicial system, with Shio going through expenses together with prison try and commit homicide, aggravated assault, and felonious restraint for his alleged involvement within the brutal assault of Momoh David.
Emerging stories recommend that Eugene Fahngon, who has been pushing for Shio’s prosecution, is allegedly being influenced by Shio’s enterprise rival within the mining sector. Fahngon is accused of utilizing state-owned media to govern public sentiment in opposition to Shio.
Additionally, Fahngon is accused of influencing some lawmakers to strain the House of Representatives into interfering within the case pending earlier than Criminal Court A and advocating for Shio’s deportation with out following due authorized course of.
Fahngon has not responded to those newest allegations, however in latest days, he has referred to as for the prosecution of Shio and alleged accomplices.
As the case unfolds, questions stay: Was this a real prison case or a politically and financially motivated assault on a enterprise rival?