Liberia: VP Koung Clarifies Goat Theft Rumors, Recounts 1992 Arrest By Former President Taylor's Soldiers - FrontPageAfrica

GANTA, Nimba County – Vice President Jeremiah Koung has firmly denied longstanding rumors of cattle theft during a recent event honoring Ganta’s business community, setting the record straight on a story that has dogged him since the election period.

By D. Franklin Doloquee/ Nimba County

Vice President Koung explained that the accusation stems from a harrowing incident in 1992, amid Liberia’s first civil war.

Fleeing Guinea and enroute back to Liberia, he and his close friend “Papa” sought refuge in an armed bush, a dense thicket used by fighters for cover near Ganta.

Unbeknownst to them, the area was controlled by soldiers loyal to then-rebel leader and former President Charles G. Taylor.

“We were using the back pass to get back to Liberia with our goods, not stealing anything,” Vice Koung emphasized, his voice steady as he addressed a crowd of local entrepreneurs gathered on his farm.

The pair was swiftly captured by Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) soldiers. Bound with rough ropes that chafed their hands, they endured two grueling months in a makeshift cell within the Ganta United Methodist Church Grounds.
“Those were dark days,” Vice President Koung recounted, painting a vivid picture of the fear and uncertainty that gripped Nimba County, a frontline region scarred by brutal fighting between rival factions.

The war, which ranged from 1989 to 1996, displaced thousands and left communities like Ganta reeling from atrocities, forced recruitment and economic collapse.

Vice President Koung praised his friend ‘‘Papa’’ for playing a pivotal role in his survival and later success, crediting him as a lifelong mentor.

He also applauded Ganta’s resilient business community, shop owners, traders and market vendors who have rebuilt the town’s economy despite years of instability.

“You are the backbone of our progress,” he told them, drawing cheers from the audience. Emerging from the business world himself, Vice Vice Koung pledged to champion Liberia’s entrepreneurs under President Joseph Boakai’s administration.

“I will engage the president to empower our business community nationwide,” he promised.

“Your role in government development activities is irreplaceable from funding infrastructure to sustaining jobs in the country.’’

The clarification comes as Vice President Koung, a Nimba native and rising political figure, seeks to dispel election-era smears and focus on unity.

Ganta residents, many of whom remember the war’s toll firsthand, appeared receptive, with local trader Mercy Zaye noting, “We’ve seen VP Koung grow from those hard days into a leader who understands our struggles.’’

As the event wrapped up with handshakes, photos and local musicians playing upbeat highlife tunes, attendees expressed optimism about potential investments in infrastructure, markets, and youth training programs.

For many in Ganta, Vice Koung’s visit was more than a speech it was a reminder of homegrown success and the power of community in building a nation’s future.