The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has dismissed two of its personnel and turned them over to the Liberia National Police for investigation and possible prosecution after a reported assault on a young woman sparked public outrage on social media.
Describing the two soldiers as “bad apples” and a “virus” within the military, AFL Chief of Staff Major General Davidson Fayiah Forleh said the institution won’t tolerate personnel who abuse their uniforms and engage in violence against civilians.
Condemning the alleged assault and announcing an immediate dismissal on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the BTC Barrack in Monrovia, the Chief of Staff said, “These are bad apples. They are Ebola virus.”
The two soldiers were identified as Sergeant Major Robertfield Mayon and Sergeant Abu S.B. Sheriff, members of the 23rd Infantry Brigade who, according to the military head, enlisted in the AFL in 2005. The Chief of Staff’s action followed the circulation of a video on social media showing a young woman with visible bruises following an alleged altercation involving the two personnel. Major General Forleh said the soldiers had left their assigned duty station and become involved in the incident in a community without authorization or instructions from their superiors.
He stressed that the alleged conduct was not sanctioned by the military and did not reflect the values of an institution expected to protect civilians and maintain public confidence. “This is an abuse to our uniform. The AFL you see today is a force for good, emphasizing that the military would not allow the actions of individual personnel to undermine its reputation,” he added.
According to him, military authorities dispatched the provost marshal and military police to locate and arrest the two soldiers after receiving information about the incident.
Moreover, the Chief of Staff explained that the decision to publicly announce their dismissal was intended to demonstrate the AFL’s commitment to accountability and discourage other personnel from engaging in similar conduct.
Also, the military subsequently read a special administrative discharge order citing Chapter 7, Section 7(j) of the National Defense Act of 2008, which addresses conduct prejudicial to the good order and discipline of the armed forces.
The order stated that the two personnel had exhibited unprofessional conduct and were administratively discharged from military service with immediate effect on October 21, 2026. During the conference, military police were instructed to recover all government property in the possession of the discharged personnel and submit a report to AFL headquarters.
The order also directed that their families be removed from the EBK barracks and transported to the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex. Following the announcement, the former soldiers were handed over to the Liberia National Police for further investigation and possible prosecution.
At the same time, the Chief of Staff warned serving military personnel against using their positions or uniforms to intimidate or harm civilians, describing such conduct as unacceptable and inconsistent with the standards of the AFL. He also encouraged members of the public to report misconduct involving military personnel through established complaint procedures at the nearest military barracks.
Responding to questions from journalists about the disciplinary action, Major General Forleh said the dismissal was intended to serve as both a corrective measure and a deterrent against similar misconduct. Meanwhile, the alleged victim, identified as Blessing, welcomed the military’s response and thanked the AFL leadership for taking action.
