Another Firestone Employee Butchered by Illegal Tappers

As the Management of Firestone Liberia continues to incur losses as a result of illicit tapping, another employee of the Estates Department on Sunday, January 14, 2007 sustained serious multiple body lacerations and acid burns at Tank 10, Division 31, when he was attacked by a group of illicit tapers.
According to David Mulbah who participated in the rescue mission of Headman Moses Sumo, a gang of men totaling over seventy-five (75) approached them at the said weighing tank, but sensing an imminent danger, Headman Sumo and his co-workers decided to flee in various directions. Mr. Mulbah said the men who were armed with cutlasses, sticks, acid and other sharp instruments wore mask to disguise themselves.
Explaining further, Mr. Mulbah disclosed that it was during the fleeing process that Moses Sumo was chased and subsequently caught by the illicit tapers. They then wasted acid on Mr. Sumo’s face in order to subdue him. Thereafter, his two hands and legs received deep cuts that reached his tendon as well as another deep cut in his head. Following their barbaric attack on Headman Sumo, the illicit tapers fled the scene into the near by bushes and victim Sumo managed to reach a nearby swamp helpless at which time David Mulbah and others were able to come to his aid from where they (Mulbah and others) called for further assistance.
When contacted late Sunday evening, the Area Superintendent of Division 31, Erickson Gbollie confirmed the incident. He narrated that he had to take Headman Sumo first to the Farmington Health Center at Division 28 from where he was later transferred to the Firestone Medical Center by the company’s ambulance.
An array of medical personnel headed by Dr. Alphonso Nemah was on hand to receive victim Sumo and immediately hospitalized under intensive medical attention.
Preliminary medical reports received described Mr. Sumo’s condition as critical due to the multiple injuries he sustained. Medical personnel at the Firestone Medical Center were seen making frantic efforts to save his life by means of blood transfusion.
It can be recalled that on Friday, December 15, 2006, employee David Sackie of the Estates Department fell prey to illicit tapers when acid was wasted on his back at Tank 5, Division 31. Division 31 is considered as the main epicenter where illicit tapping and other rubber related thefts are committed by hundreds of unidentified individuals roaming within the concession area of Firestone Liberia . These attacks have on numerous occasions resulted to the deaths and injuries of dedicated employees of the company trying to secure an honest living.
Residents described this latest attack by illicit tapers as gruesome with the intent of installing fear and in security within the concession area. The residents are further appealing to the Government of the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of such brutality and violence which will serve as a deterrent to the alarming problem of illicit tapping within the concession of Firestone Liberia .
Firestone has been one of the most targeted victims of illicit tapping in Liberia .