Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) mourns the tragic death of Sergeant Bobby Manneh of the Armed Forces of Liberia, (AFL).They have called for an independent probe of situation.
The death of Sergeant Manneh was revealed in a statement released by the Armed Forces of Liberia’s Public Affairs office that the tragic incident occurred on Thursday, May 30, 2024 while Manneh was on duty at the Edward Binyah Kesselly Barracks in Schiefflin, Lower Margibi County.
The AFL claimed that Sergeant Manneh “Took his own life while on guard”, firing several bullets into his own head.
However, STAND said the conclusion by AFL high command that Manneh took his own life, raises several questions.
The Civil Society group wonders “Did the AFL high command rely on the outcome of a forensic investigation from its own Military Police unit before concluding that Sergeant Manneh died by suicide? The Liberian army, being a professional institution with a Military Police unit, with responsibility for maintaining law enforcement and discipline within the military, is expected to have carried out a preliminary investigation of the incident. This would have provided the basis for any early assumption for cause of death.”
A statement by Executive Director, Mulbah K. Morlu questioned whether the Liberia National Police (LNP) is the lead investigator in the matter or only assisting with the probe into death of Manneh.
“During Sergeant Manneh’s duty on the night of the incident, was he assigned a weapon? If so, what weapon was he assigned, and which of his army colleagues served with him that night? Were there any eyewitnesses to his alleged suicide? STAND asked.
The group wants an investigation into the death of Manneh to establish whether it was a self-inflicted gunshot injuries and the pattern of projectiles on his body
These questions are crucial to understand the circumstances of Sergeant Manneh’s death and ensuring a thorough and transparent investigation.
“While STAND seeks prompt answers, the organization urges the Boakai administration to authorize or support a swift and impartial investigation to ensure justice and strengthen public confidence in the nation’s troubled justice system,” STAND added.
The group is encouraging President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to prioritize a credible investigation, which is further reinforced by the diverse narratives already circulating in the public square.
STAND notes that this is not unique to the Army, regardless of which administration is running the country.
The Movement recalled in 2021, a trained and professional Executive Protection Service (EPS) Agent Melvin Early was reported by Law Enforcement to have ‘Shot himself in the head three times and died in Tappita, Nimba County. This kind of reported suicide death reflects a pattern of a probable dangerous subculture operating within the Liberian security apparatus, outside official corridors.
The statement quotes Executive Director Morlu as saying the AFL’s claim of suicidal death of a professional and patriotic soldier, gives cause for alarm.
In the Melvin Early case, upon seeing the dead body of this patriot, the deceased’s family rejected the Liberian government’s suicide claims, offering an entirely different narrative that Mr. Earley was allegedly shot in the abdomen, chest, and head, contrary to government information sources, STAND indicated.
Meawhile, STAND calls on the Liberia National Police to reopen the Melvin Earley case file to conduct a more thorough, transparent, and unbiased investigation into the claims and counterclaims surrounding the EPS agent’s death.
This request, STAND believes is particularly pertinent given the swirling controversies surrounding Sergeant Bobby Manneh’s death, which shares many similarities with the death of Agent Melvin Earley.
