A black grandfather with a history of domestic violence spent Father’s Day in jail after police charged him with killing his wife with a spear

An immigrant from Africa, Harun Ngolo, 65, was charged with homicide, simple assault and two counts of aggravated assault by Wilkes-Barre police and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. He allegedly killed his wife, 62-year-old Maria Jeringa Ngolo, stabbed his adult son, Moses Ngolo and cut his 3-year-old grandson, Noah Cobin, at their home in South Wilkes-Barre. Maria Ngolo had at least one protection-from-abuse order against her husband in the past. Moses Ngolo, believed to be 28, told police he wanted to move out of his parents’ home, yet stayed at his mother’s request because she feared her husband’s past history of domestic violence. Harun Ngolo is a native of Zaire, now known as the Republic of Congo, in Central Africa. Court documents show Harun Ngolo had a history of family violence. An arrest affidavit dated Dec. 22, 2007, stated Harun Ngolo was arrested after chasing Maria and Moses Ngolo around the home with a weapon. During the 2007 incident, Harun Ngolo fastened a steak knife to the end of a 3-foot metal poll and chased the family through their home. The affidavit said the family members locked themselves in a bedroom until police arrived. Police said that Harun Ngolo was screaming, “You’re going to send me to jail? I’m going to kill you,” according to the affidavit. At the time of the incident, Maria Ngolo had an active PFA against her husband. Harun Ngolo was charged with prohibited offensive weapons, simple assault and harassment. He served some time in Luzerne County Correctional Facility when he could not make bail of $25,000. In late February 2007, Harun Ngolo was arrested on charges he assaulted his wife and Moses with a hammer and garden tool. He also pleaded guilty in June 2004 to a summary count of harassment in Wilkes-Barre. The Ngolos came to the United States in 1993 as political refugees. The United Nations assisted them after their oldest son, Enoch Ngolo, was killed during a student demonstration against then Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.