MONROVIA – There has been quite a misleading narrative making rounds in the social media community to the effect of smearing a Chinese businessman seemingly by a trade competitor in the alleged beating of Liberian, Momo David who was caught stealing solar panels. Despite a family source’s corroboration of the actual events, there are still efforts on the part of scrupulous elements to weave lies and deceptions around the case. So far, independent investigation by this paper suggests that businessman Michael Shio is being framed to be seen as the culprit in David’s ordeal which currently is a subject of litigation in a local court. The Analyst reports.
A comprehensive investigation by this paper has uncovered a web of contradictions surrounding the alleged beating of Momoh David by Chinese national Michael Shio, a scenario that points to a possible smear campaign orchestrated by a rival Chinese mining company.
On January 13, 2025, a writ of arrest issued by the Monrovia Magisterial Court accused Michael Shio of ordering his security guards to chase, capture, and brutally assault Momoh David, including pouring hot oil on him and setting a dog on him.
The prosecution claims the attack took place after David was caught stealing a solar panel from Shio’s construction site, located opposite A La Lagoon, Congo Town Back Road.
But our investigation reveals a more complicated and suspicious story—one that suggests Shio may have been framed.
According to the police charge sheet and eyewitness accounts, including testimony from David’s father, Abraham, and local community leader Sumo J. Nazalay, Momoh David had already sustained multiple injuries before January 13, 2025.
On January 10, 2025, David was beaten by an angry crowd after being caught stealing wires from a Lone Star Tower in Congo Town. This incident was recorded in the Occurrence Book at Zone 3 Police Station.
The pattern repeated itself over the following days: January 11: David was caught stealing from Sando Cooper’s yard and was again assaulted by a crowd. January 12: David was apprehended stealing from Mr. Kromah’s property on Congo Town Back Road. The Co-Chair of Bloc “D”, Sumo J. Nazalay, brought him to Zone 3 Police Station, where police advised taking him for medical treatment before registering the case. David, however, fled custody that same day.
The next morning, at 9:00 a.m. on January 13, 2025, David was caught stealing a solar panel from Shio’s construction site. Security personnel, along with David’s father—who is employed at Shio’s compound—apprehended him near the swamp by the Chinese Embassy. According to David’s father (Abraham David), his son was already visibly wounded at the time of the arrest, and he pleaded with the crowd not to beat him further. Instead, the security team escorted David to Shio’s residence near A La Lagoon to arrange for transportation to Zone 3 Police Station, while they take statement at 10:30 a.m.
The critical detail here is the one and a half hours between David’s theft at 9:00 a.m. and the security team’s statement at the police station at 10:30 a.m. Analyzing this window reveals that: the chase from LC Lawson School to the swamp near the Chinese Embassy took at least 30 minutes; extracting David from the swamp to the main road required another 10 minutes; his father’s intervention to stop the angry crowd took 10 minutes; the walk with the crowd to Shio’s residence took 15 minutes; the drive from Shio’s residence to Zone 3 Police Station took at least 15 minutes.
The police needed at least 10 minutes to begin taking a statement.
This sequence of events accounts for the entire hour and a half, leaving no time for Shio or his security personnel to torture David, pour hot oil on him, or set a dog on him as alleged.
When David was delivered to Zone 3 Police Station on January 13, officers reportedly told the security team, “Why are you people bringing the same man back? We told you yesterday that he needed medical treatment.”
The police once again advised that David be taken to a hospital before the case could be registered. However, during transport to the hospital, David escaped near the Ministry Complex in Congo Town—a fact confirmed by the security personnel involved.
One of the most troubling aspects of this case is the 28-day gap between David’s alleged torture on January 13 and his formal complaint against Shio, which only surfaced on February 8, 2025, after Officer R13 of Zone 3 Police Station visited David at ELWA Hospital.
This delay raises significant questions:
If Momoh David was allegedly tortured by Michael Shio’s security, why did neither he nor his family report the matter to the police before he was admitted to ELWA Hospital on January 17, 2025 (four days later), What transpired during these four days?
Why Momoh David did not report the allegations against Michael Shio on January 13, 2025 when Michael Shio’s security brought him to Zone 3 Police Station? Only surface after R13 visited Momoh David at the hospital and allegedly induced him to make a statement on February 8, 2025, a period of 28 days.
Why was no medical report included in the police charge sheet to document the nature and cause of Momoh David’s injuries?
Even more suspiciously, the police charge sheet lacks a medical report documenting the nature and cause of David’s injuries—a glaring omission in such a serious case.
Sources close to the investigation suggest that the charges against Shio may have been orchestrated by a rival Chinese mining company involved in illicit mining activities and posted fines and charges more than 22 million US Dollars in Gbarpolu County. According to these sources, this company has been working with local opinion leaders to discredit Shio and eliminate his influence in Liberia’s mining sector.
This paper will continue to investigate and bring the truth to light.