Benita Urey Urges Clemency in Konneh Case, Questions Justice System

As President Joseph N. Boakai prepares to exercise his constitutional power of clemency, a decades-old murder case has resurfaced, reigniting debate over Liberia’s justice system and its handling of wrongful convictions. Businesswoman and humanitarian Benita Whitney Urey has renewed her public appeal to President Boakai to intervene in the case of Mascara Konneh, a life-sentenced inmate who has spent 21 years behind bars for a crime she insists he did not commit. Urey describes Konneh’s continued incarceration as a grave miscarriage of justice that demands urgent executive action.

  
Konneh was arrested in 2004 at the age of 20 in connection with the killing of John Auffrey, an American citizen and member of the United States military team deployed to Liberia to help restructure the Armed Forces of Liberia following the civil war. Alongside Konneh, ten other individuals were arrested, including Charles Thomas, Mortimer Ketter, Oliver Beckey, Mark Davies, Abraham Mulbah, Joseph Chea, Haja Konneh, Emmanuel S. Allen, Winston Boscoe, Jefferson Williams, and Harrison Solo. However, only Konneh and Thomas were ultimately convicted.  

Thomas later died in custody, while Jefferson Williams—detained since 2004—was released from Monrovia Central Prison in 2024, raising further questions about the fairness of the trial and the consistency of justice applied to those accused. According to Urey, the trial took a troubling turn when Thomas reportedly admitted responsibility for the killing, claiming he committed the crime alongside another suspect, Bai T. Moore. Despite this admission, Konneh was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, while Moore fled the country.  

Urey maintains that Moore, also known as Emmanuel Mulbah, later changed his identity, allegedly naturalized as a Togolese national, and was eventually arrested and jailed in Ghana on unrelated charges. She argues that Konneh’s conviction was based largely on his association with Moore rather than credible evidence. She further contends that Konneh cooperated fully with investigators, voluntarily surrendering when he learned police wanted to question him. In contrast, Moore reportedly escaped Liberia with the assistance of law enforcement officers—two of whom were later charged.     

  
For Urey, this contrast underscores the injustice of Konneh’s situation. While the alleged perpetrator fled and avoided accountability, the young man who stayed and cooperated was condemned to spend his life behind bars. Her renewed appeal highlights what she describes as serious procedural flaws in the trial, including claims that the jury was not unanimous—a legal requirement for imposing a life sentence. She has also questioned the credibility of key witnesses and the overall handling of evidence.

  
Beyond the legal arguments, Urey points to the personal toll of the conviction. Konneh has spent his entire adult life in prison, never living freely with his son, who was born after his incarceration. His mother died without seeing her son exonerated, a loss that continues to weigh heavily on his family. The call for clemency has gained additional support from Grand Gedeh County Electoral District #3 Representative Jacob Debee, who publicly joined the appeal after interacting with Konneh at South Beach Prison in June 2025. 

 
Debee described Konneh as “a refined gentleman” and revealed that he has quietly raised the matter with senior government officials since his release from Monrovia Central Prison in June. His public endorsement has added political weight to Urey’s campaign.  “With Christmas approaching, I am adding my voice publicly to plead for his freedom,” Debee said, urging President Boakai to grant clemency and give Konneh an opportunity to rebuild his life and contribute meaningfully to society. 

 
For Urey, the advocacy is not about politics or personal interest but about justice. She has championed Konneh’s cause for more than four years, insisting that Liberia must confront the flaws in its justice system if it is to uphold fairness and accountability.  
The case has become a symbol of broader concerns about judicial accountability, wrongful convictions, and the role of presidential clemency in correcting alleged injustices. It has sparked conversations about whether Liberia’s courts are adequately equipped to deliver impartial justice.  

President Boakai is expected to issue an executive clemency this week, in keeping with Article 59 of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which authorizes the President to grant pardons and reprieves. The decision could mark a turning point in the country’s approach to justice reform. Whether President Boakai will act on the appeal remains uncertain, but for Konneh’s supporters, the message is clear: after 21 years behind bars, they believe he deserves a second chance at freedom.  

As pressure mounts from prominent voices, the case of Mascara Konneh has once again drawn national attention, reopening difficult questions about wrongful convictions, judicial accountability, and the role of executive clemency in correcting alleged injustices. For many Liberians, the outcome of this case will serve as a test of the nation’s commitment to fairness, compassion, and the rule of law.