Liberian Cook-Shop Seller Denies Viral Food Contamination Allegation

Paynesville – Social media went wild early Monday morning in the commercial hub of Red Light in Paynesville, outside Monrovia, over reports that a local cook shop seller had added feces to her food to attract customers. By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway At the heart of the saga, street peddlers and community dwellers gathered in huge numbers at the Zone 9 Depot One, demanding the living body of the accused, who had already been secured and was in the custody of officers assigned to the depot. “I Did Not Do So” — Accused Woman Breaks Silence Far from the narration that clouded Facebook and other social media platforms for most of the day, Kadiatu Kamara, the woman at the center of the allegation, denied ever committing the act that spread like wildfire. Dressed in a lemon green blouse and lappa, Kadiatu broke her silence in tears as she defended her reputation against allegations of adding toilet to her cook bowl to attract customers, maintaining her innocence. Madam Kamara, a mother of nine, explained that she has been in the cooked food business for over 20 years without any spiritual manipulation. She described the allegation as false, damaging, and intended to destroy her business and reputation. “I have been selling cook bowl for years to support my children. I have never added toilet to my food. They lied on me just to destroy me, because this is my only means of survival; its the only means through which I have been supporting my children through school and feeding. This is a complete bad luck. Even the food in question, we also eat some as well, so why will I do such? This is killing someone,” Kadiatu narrated in tears. “I am innocent. I am a mother and I fear God. I cannot do that kind of wicked thing to my fellow Liberians.” What Really Transpired? The saga is traced to one Aisha, another food seller who operates during the night shift. Pressed by nature and with nowhere to ease herself, Aisha reportedly decided to defecate in a nearby area manned by a local security guard. Momolu Foboi, a watchman assigned at a premise close to the Sinoe County Parking where Aisha had gone to ease herself, demanded that she remove the feces and clean the entire area, but she refused. With no alternative, Foboi told this paper that he reported the issue to the local depot, which immediately acted to detain Aisha. Aisha was later released from temporary detention, but different accounts began spewing falsehoods that Kadiatu, a middle-aged woman, was the one adding feces to woo customers to her table. Foboi further informed the police and this paper that Madam Kadiatu Kamara is not the person linked to the alleged act. “The woman is not the one involved and in fact the issue is not even about someone adding pupu to food. The woman being accused has nothing to do with the toilet issue,” Foboi stated while being temporarily released from behind bars by the police to clarify to the media. Police believe the earlier alarm raised by Foboi culminated into different hearsays that have the propensity to destroy the business reputation of Kadiatu. He apologized to Madam Kamara for the embarrassment and called on the public to stop sharing her photo and video in connection with the allegation. “I was surprised when I came from Duala and met the entire depot surrounded by such a huge crowd, only to hear that someone put pupu in cooked bowl to sell. This was never the issue that I took to the police station. I am so sorry that it turned out like that,” he added. Clarity Comes Too Late But the clarification came too late – it came on the heels of initial public outrage with demands for Kadiatus living body. Madam Kamara is now calling on well-meaning Liberians and the public to help clear her name, noting that her business has suffered greatly since the allegation went viral. Your support helps FrontPage Africa continue delivering independent, credible, and impactful journalism. Every contribution strengthens our ability to investigate, inform, and hold pow