The Liberia National Police (LNP) announced that it will be launching an investigation into all mysterious deaths that have occurred in the country over the last six years.
The decision is in fulfillment of one of President Joseph Boakai’s campaign promises of ensuring that relatives of all unexplained deaths get justice, and that the perpetrator(s) be made to account for their actions.
Police Inspector General, Gregory Coleman, disclosed that the investigation will be done holistically, looking back as far as 2018 to 2023, ensuring that all mysterious deaths and other related crimes are thoroughly investigated.
However, it is expected that the investigation will be done by a special task force of experts that is likely to comprise of the Ministry of Health, LNP, and the National Security Agency.
The task force might be tasked with reviewing all available evidence and conducting interviews with witnesses and family members of the deceased, in order to determine the cause of death in each case.
The government’s call comes after a series of high-profile deaths in Liberia, including the passing of four auditors and other Liberians under mysterious circumstances during former President George Weah’s government.
It can be recalled that on March 3, 2019, the Central Bank of Liberia’s senior staff, Matthew J. Innis, Deputy Director for Micro-finance in the Regulation and Supervision Department, died mysteriously, with no seriousness attached to the cause of death.
In 2020, a talk show host and broadcast journalist, Zenu Koboi Miller, died three days after being physically assaulted by bodyguards of President George Weah at SKD Sports Complex in Paynesville.
The same year, four auditors mysteriously died, including the missing of three young boys who had gone to do some work for St. Moses at his farm, and those events occurred eight days apart in 2020.
The four deaths involved the IAA Director General, Emmanuel Barten Nyeswua, whose lifeless body was discovered at his residence; Albert Peters; Gifty Lama, and George Fanbutu.
The two employees of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) were found dead in a car mysteriously on October 2, 2020 on Broad Street. Madam Gifty Lama was Acting Manager for Tax Services while Albert Peters was Assistant Commissioner for Audit.
Again, on October 4, another auditor at the LRA, George Fanbutu, died in a car accident while driving home from a business meeting on the SKD Boulevard Road during the night hours.
There was an autopsy but family members rejected the report, on grounds that they believed there was foul played in their loved one’s death and not natural, as pronounced by the government.
In February of 2021, an Executive Protective Services (EPS) agent and one of Weah’s closest bodyguards, Melvin Earley, reportedly committed suicide behind President Weah’s guest house on a trip to Tappita, Nimba County.
In the same year, in less than a month, the country witnessed three gruesome murders, as two Tubman’s died mysteriously-John Hilary Tubman, William Tolbert III, and a LISGIS staff, Madam Maude Elliot, who was killed by unknown persons, but the investigation and report are still in limbo.
In 2022, Princess Cooper, 25, and Melvin Togba, 36, both died mysteriously, instilling more fear in the Liberian populace, with some resolving to be their own security.
In 2023, Cllr Gloria Musu Scott’s daughter, who was awaiting graduation, became a victim of mysterious (armed robbery) and targeted deaths, leaving others injured.
Unconfirmed information reported that the government was informed of the first attempt but didn’t do enough to circumvent the untimely death and injures sustained by the Scott family.
That case is still in court, even though Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott and two of her family members were charged for and sentenced for murder in the case. Her legal team, however, took an appeal to the Supreme Court.
As a result of these mentioned and other related cases, the CDC administration was also faced with criticism for its handling of these cases, with many accusing officials of failing to properly investigate the deaths and hold those responsible accountable.
But Col. Coleman assured that the government of President Boakai will take all necessary action to ensure that justice is served for the victims and their families.
He further emphasized the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all citizens are able to live in safety and security.
“We cannot allow these senseless deaths to go unpunished because we owe it to the victims and their families to get to the bottom of these cases and bring those responsible to justice,” the Police IG intoned.
Col. Coleman, at the same time, pledged the government’s commitment to conduct the investigation with transparency and integrity, and to hold all those responsible for the deaths accountable.
Meanwhile, Col. Coleman also disclosed that the LNP has already begun the investigating the seizure of arms and ammunition at the Freeport of Monrovia in 2022.
He revealed that the investigation is already ongoing and that the outcome and subsequent recommendations for prompt action will be made available to the Ministry of Justice for action, and to the public in the spirit of transparency.
