By staff writer
Monrovia- The Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice has sent two Nigerians pirates Titus Ezenna, age 44 and Michael Oputa, 38 years to jail at the Monrovia Central Prison for allegedly carrying on pirates activities on the Sierra Leone-Liberia Waters.
Magistrate Ben Barco of the Monrovia City Court ordered the detention of the defendants immediately upon their appearance in court on Thursday, August 10, 2023.
Prior to their incarceration, the men were arrested on July 24, 2023 on high sea; investigated and subsequently charged with multiple crimes including criminal conspiracy, piracy, armed robbery and theft of property.
According to court document, victims Li Tian Guo; a Chinese national and others crew members of the Shenghai-2
fishing vessel were attacked on sea by pirates Oputa and Ezzena
and others to be identified during which the victims sustained the loss of properties and cash.
The Chinese national Li Tian Guo explaining his ordeal said on Saturday
July 22, 2023 at 10am, while they (crew members of the Shenghai-
2 fishing vessel) to include; six Chinese and seventeen (17) Sierra
Leoneans were on board their fishing vessel (Shengai-2) fishing on
the Sierra Leonean Water where they normally do their fishing, a
small speed boat with some unknown men armed with weapons
(pistols and raffles) came straight to their vessel and started firing,
boarded their vessel, fire several rounds, put them at gun point,
searched all of the crew members on board the vessel and the
entire vessel and took away their properties
and cash.
The victim narrated that the Liberia Coast Guard responded and
managed to arrest two suspects; rescued them and brought them
to the Liberia Coast Guard Base in Monrovia.
