- By Abednego Davis
A 44-year-old man accused of attempting to rob Ecobank Liberia’s 11th Street Branch has made his first appearance at the Monrovia City Court, to face charges of armed robbery and criminal attempt to commit murder.
Defendant Fobay Emery Johnson appeared on Monday during a short hearing to inform him of the crimes he is alleged to have committed and his rights as a defendant.
He was later remanded at the Monrovia Central Prison to await his next court’s scheduled date. One of the charges, armed robbery, is a non-bailable offense, which prevented his lawyers from securing his temporary release yesterday.
Defendant Johnson was arrested on August 6 by the Liberia National Police (LNP) and delivered to the court on Monday, August 11, approximately five days in police custody, while undergoing investigation.
Throughout his pre-trial hearing, defendant Johnson declared his innocence of the accusations.
In the police’s investigative report submitted to the court, it said Johnson’s alleged crimes “are in violation of Chapters 10 and 15, Sub. Chapter C, Section 15.32 and Section 10.1 of the revised Penal code of the Republic of Liberia.”
According to the court’s document, on Wednesday August 6, 2025 approximately 0900hrs, while victim Angeline L. Sillah was in her office (Ecobank, Liberia Limited, 11th Street, Sinkor Branch private Banking room), suspect Fobay Emery Johnson entered her office, closed the office door and pointed a single barrel shotgun at her, demanding money that she had in her office.
The document further alleges that the suspect, upon entering the private banking room, removed a single-barrel shotgun from his black backpack and pointed it at his victim and demanded the money in her possession.
Police also claim that in his statement, the defendant stated that in June 2025, while in Ganta Nimba County with friends, he purchased a single-barrel gun along with three rounds of ammunition for sixty United States dollars (US$60), claiming that it was for his personal protection.
For Madam Sillah, police said she explained that on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at 0945hrs, while she was in her office at the Ecobank, Liberia Limited, 11th Street, Sinkor Branch, an unknown man entered her office wearing a nose mask and a Marvin Gaye hat.
Her attacker, the victim alleges, placed her under gunpoint and demanded thatturn over the money that she had in her office. While he was trying to tape her mouth and tie her, she tussled with him, at which time she pressed the alarm button and her fellow workers came to her rescue, arresting suspect Johnson, before turning him over to the Liberia National Police for investigation.
The investigation also reviewed CCTV Footage from the Ecobank Liberia Limited, 11th Street, Sinkor Branch, which showed suspect Fobay Emery Johnson entering the Private Banking room wearing a nose mask and a black Marvin Gaye Hat. Upon entry, he closed the door.
