Liberia: Untimely death of Armed Forces of Liberia sergeant and former UN guard raises more questions amid suicide claim

Monrovia – The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) is grappling with the tragic death of Sergeant Bobby Manndeh who allegedly committed suicide last week while on duty at Binyah Kesselly Barracks in Schiefflin.

By Selma Lomax, (email protected)

In a statement issued by its Public Affairs office last week, the AFL reported that the incident occurred on Thursday, May 30, at approximately 10:45 p.m., while Manndeh was on duty at the Edward Binyah Kesselly Barracks in Schiefflin, Lower County Margibi. The AFL said it notified the Liberian National Police (LNP) and the Homicide Division promptly arrived at the scene to investigate.

Sergeant Manndeh enlisted in the AFL in 2007 as an infantry soldier and was most recently assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Brigade. He served with the last batch (9th) of the AFL contingent in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali from September 2022 to December 2023.

“Sergeant Manndeh was a disciplined, professional, loyal and dedicated soldier who served diligently since his enlistment in the AFL,” the statement said.

The AFL revealed that Manndeh’s body is currently at Military Hospital 14. The Military Police and the LNP Homicide Directorate are conducting further investigations. “The AFL High Command extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family and appeals to the public to remain calm as the investigation continues,” the AFL said.

Details of Manndeh’s death remain unclear, amid rumors that he shot himself six times in the head with an AK-47 rifle. Before his death, Manndeh was allegedly investigated by the National Security Service (NSA) for supporting military welfare. His wife was a key figure in the military wives’ protest that led to the resignation of Prince C. Johnson, the former AFL chief of staff who is now director of the NSA. Johnson, in his resignation letter to President Joseph Boakai in March 2024, cited protests by military wives as a major reason for his resignation.

FrontPageAfrica has found that morale has been low among soldiers at the barracks following an announcement by the high command that there will be no salary increases, even for soldiers with college degrees, in the current fiscal year due to budget constraints. The soldiers were informed that funds allocated to the military in the 2024 national budget will be used to renovate three military barracks: EBK in Margibi, Gbarnga in Bong County and Ganta in Nimba County. They were also warned not to complain or protest, with threats of being expelled from the barracks or stripped from the army.

Efforts by FrontPageAfrica to verify this information from the military, the NSA and Manndeh’s family were unsuccessful. However, in a follow-up with the Liberia National Police, spokeswoman Cecelia Clarke said the investigation is still ongoing and promised to update the public once the findings are complete.

Manndeh’s death has sparked public debate, with some veterans and military officers expressing various opinions anonymously. A veteran soldier claimed that it is impossible to put six bullets from an AK-47 rifle into your own head. “What I heard, that he shot himself in the head, is a cover-up. How can this be possible? Does it shoot six times? How is that possible? It’s unrealistic,” the AFL veteran said.

FrontPage Africa online reader James Davis commented on the story, questioning why a sergeant would be put on guard duty. “It is a very serious situation that requires the attention of the members of the House of Representatives. Is the AFL command having problems with Mali returnees and is this a way to manage the situation in the military? The military needs to deal with this problem,” Davis added.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, an army officer stated that it is normal for a sergeant to do guard duty at the barracks. Regarding the possibility of shooting himself in the head six times with an automatic pistol, the soldier said that, based on his experience, it was possible. “A gun that fires automatically fires three shots, and it’s possible to fire more shots as long as force is applied to the trigger,” he explained.

While suicides in the AFL are not common, this incident echoes a similar case in February 2021 involving Melvin Early, an elite Executive Protective Service (EPS) agent. He reportedly shot himself early in Tappita, Nimba County while on presidential duty during the county tour of then President George Weah. EPS said Early shot himself at around 6:03 a.m. on Friday, February 19, 2021. However, Early’s family disputed that report, alleging foul play.