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The Human Rights Monitor of the United Methodist Church has welcome the guilty verdict brought down against Hans Capehart Williams and Mardia Paykue Williams for murdering the late Angel Meideh Togba who lived with them on the Old Road prior to her death in November 2007.
Speaking to our reporter via mobile phone on Saturday March 20, 2010, the Program Director of the Human Rights Monitor of the United Methodist Church said the monitor welcomes the guilty verdict but condemned the death sentence and claimed it is unbiblical and undermines human existence. Mr. Jefferson Knight said human life is sacred and there should be no reason for which anyone must take it away. He said the found guilty must be given the time so they can transform and change and becoming better people for the morrow. The UMC Human Rights Boss was quick to point out that the killing of innocent Little Angel by her guidance was totally wrong, wicked and inhumane, but the convict must serve a life time imprisonment rather than equally being killed. He indicated that Liberia signed the Vietnam Accord which condemns death sentence, and therefore called on the President of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf not to sign any verdict for punishment by death, but rather long sentences or life imprisonment. Mr. Knight said the world is a civilize one with civilize people therein and that everyone must have the opportunity live and not to promote killings among them. He again emphasized that the killing of the Angel was wicked, brutal and cruel, but insinuated that the condemned be sentenced to prison for their entire life. When quizzed as to whether he did not think that some Liberians will get annoy with the United Methodist Church for its Human Rights group to condemn the death sentence of Hans and Mardia Williams for murdering Little Angel, he said “we are not the only ones reproachful of the death sentence, but there are others, we therefore want to also use this medium to called on all Liberians to see reason for which Liberia should not get involve in the killing of their fellow compatriots any longer as the long years of civil hostilities were enough that witnessed about two-three hundred thousand Liberians dying mysteriously. Mr. Jefferson Knight said that the guilty verdict of Hans and Mardia on Friday March 19, 2010 at the Temple of Justice came as a surprise, because according to him many people thought the case was a another waste of time by the government of Liberia. He indicated that he spoke to a number of people before and after the verdict who told him that the entire Angel episode including the verdict was strange and came as a total surprise to them.
Mr. Knight intimated that the world is changing and becoming more advanced on a daily basis and therefore Liberia needs to change along and need not to continue with laws that are not helpful to the country and its people. “I am calling on the National Legislature to abolish the death penalty in our laws and create laws that will meet up with changing realities of the times. I therefore recommend long time imprisonment with hard labor rather than death sentence.” The UMC Human Rights Boss averred.
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