By: Frank P. Martin
RIA/MONROVIA: Family members of a soldier of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Sergeant Bobby Manneh, have alleged that his death was masterminded by the AFL.
The bereaved family who described the death of Sergeant Manneh as ‘shocking’ categorically rejected claims by the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), that Sergeant Manneh committed suicide.
Abraham Sahn, brother-in-law of Sergeant Manneh who spoke to The Independent, on behalf of the bereaved family in an exclusive interview yesterday in Monrovia, accused the AFL of being the mastermind of their son, Manneh’s death.
“The Armed Forces of Liberia is responsible for the death of Bobby, because the statement from the Army is misleading and far from reality,” Mr. Sahn told The Independent Newspaper on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, in Monrovia.
The aggrieved family revealed that since the death of Sergeant Manneh, the AFL is yet to clarify as it relates to the whereabouts of the body and that the AFL has refused to turn over the body to the family to conduct autopsy.
He claimed that the body of Sgt. Manneh was removed from the crime scene before the AFL called his family.
“Since then, the family has been denied the right to see the body of their son,” Mr. Sahn stressed.
“We believe there was a foul-play in the process because the very day they claimed he committed suicide, they immediately removed his body just to destroy evidence. As we speak, the family cannot get access to his body upon request,” he narrated.
Sahn refuted claims by the AFL that Sgt. Manneh committed suicide.
He stressed that the action of the AFL shows that their brother was killed by some AFL personnel. Sahn: “It was a homicide, not a suicide.”
Aggrieved Family: “We believe some members of the army killed our son because he was never suffering from any mental disorder for him to commit suicide. We are informed in the barrack that he was involved in the AFL Soldiers’ wives protest against the former Chief of Staff, Retired Brigadier General, Prince C. Johnson, which led to his forceful resignation as Minister of National Defense.”
In February, 2024, wives of AFL Soldiers staged streets protests across the country against the former Chief of Staff for allegations of corruption following his nomination by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to the position of Defense Minister.
However, according to Mr. Sahn, the bereaved family has sent separate communications to the Minister of Justice, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh; and the Chief of Staff of the AFL, Brigadier General Davidson Fayiah Forleh, requesting for the body of Sergeant Manneh.
The bereaved family also wants independent forensic investigators to conduct an autopsy on the body of Sergeant Bobby Manneh for justice to be served all parties.
When contacted by this paper in relation to the bereaved family’s accusations made against the AFL, Major Stephen Trapleh, official spokesperson of the AFL, categorical refuted the bereaved family’s allegations levied against the AFL.
Major Trapleh noted that the investigation into the death of Sgt. Bobby Manndeh is no longer with the AFL, rather the Liberia National Police (LNP) Homicide Division.
When also contacted by The Independent Newspapers through the Spokesperson of the Liberia National Police (LNP), Mrs. Cecelia Clark, she told The Investigative Independent Newspaper that the LNP Homicide Division has no idea over such matter.
However, the death of Sergeant Manneh was revealed in a formal statement released by the Armed Forces of Liberia’s (AFL) Public Affairs office that the tragic incident occurred on Thursday, May 30, 2024, at approximately 10:45 P.M. while Sgt. Manneh was on guard duty at the Edward Binyah Kesselly Military Barrack in Schiefflin, Lower Margibi County.
The AFL statement indicated that Sergeant Manneh “Took his own life while on guidepost”, firing several bullets into his own head.
The AFL, statement, disclosed that it notified the Liberia National Police (LNP), which immediately dispatched officers from the Homicide Division to the incident scene.
In the same statement, the AFL disclosed that the death of Sergeant Manneh was caused by suicide.
