By Staff Reporter
Sinoe County’s Circuit Court has sentenced 40-year-old Armah Dassay to life imprisonment for the murder of Isaac Kpakgpor, concluding a high-profile trial that captured national attention.
Assigned Circuit Judge Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh handed down the ruling after finding Dassay guilty based on compelling circumstantial evidence presented by prosecutors.
The case dates back to June 17, 2023, when Dassay reportedly transported Kpakgpor on a motorbike to a palm wine site on the outskirts of the Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) Plantation in Butaw. Court records indicate Dassay was the last person seen with the victim before his disappearance.
Kpakgpor’s body was discovered days later tied to a tree under gruesome circumstances, prompting widespread outrage in the county, particularly amid the 2023 Presidential and Legislative Elections.
The trial, which resumed on June 16, 2026, saw Dassay plead not guilty. Over the course of more than a month of hearings, the prosecution presented 11 witnesses, including Dassay’s 13-year-old son, while the defendant and his wife testified in his defense.
Testimony revealed that the victim had consumed alcohol at the palm wine tree and became intoxicated. Witnesses testified that Dassay failed to ensure Kpakgpor’s safety, and inconsistencies in his statements, along with his failure to alert the community during the search, were highlighted by the court.
In his judgment, Judge Wesseh invoked the legal doctrine of “last seen,” which presumes responsibility on the part of the last person seen with a deceased individual when no reasonable explanation is provided. He concluded that the circumstantial evidence left “no reasonable doubt” about Dassay’s guilt.
“Dassay had a duty of care toward the intoxicated victim. His failure to ensure the victim’s safety, or to notify the community, constitutes a serious dereliction of that duty,” Judge Wesseh stated.
Defense lawyer Cllr. Franklin Myer announced plans to appeal the verdict to the Supreme Court, while Acting County Attorney Cllr. Mmonbeydo N. Joah described the ruling as a victory for justice and for the family and community of the deceased.
