Monrovia based civil society group STAND has documented a tragic episode in the Liberian capital wherein an SOS call from a distressed family ended in tears. The life the called the police to safe was taken away by the police in a horrific fashion.
Based on established facts rooted in eyewitness’ testimonies and available public statements and video of the incident, STAND is calling for dismissal and prosecution of police IG Coleman and officers responsible for the Murder of Matthew Mulbah.
Below the full statement:
The Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) condemns in the strongest terms the cold-blooded killing of Matthew Mulbah, a young Liberian suffering from mental illness, by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in Congo Town. His family sought help, not a corpse, yet the police responded with lethal force—an act that exposes a shocking pattern of extrajudicial killings, police brutality, and abuse of authority. STAND demands the immediate dismissal and prosecution of Police IG Coleman and the officers responsible, insisting that justice, accountability, and respect for human rights be upheld without delay.
Background of the Tragic Incident
On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) responded to a family call requesting assistance for Matthew Mulbah, who was experiencing a mental health episode. Eyewitnesses report that the first police team arrived in the morning, broke open Matthew’s room door, and attempted to persuade him to go for treatment at a mental health facility along Duport Road. When he refused, the officers left peacefully.
Later that afternoon, a second group of officers returned with a man described as a ‘medical doctor’ intending to administer a sedative. During a struggle with an officer attempting to restrain him, Matthew reacted defensively, injuring the officer with a knife before retreating and locking himself inside.
Reinforcements were then called. Upon arrival, officers again forced entry into the house. Eyewitnesses and video evidence confirm that the officers discharged multiple rounds, striking Matthew as he sought refuge in a bathroom. He was later dragged outside, bleeding and crying for help. Before being taken away, a man claiming to be a ‘doctor’ injected him with a substance believed to be a sedative while he remained handcuffed, wounded, and bleeding profusely.
Matthew was transported to John F. Kennedy Medical Center, where he was reportedly abandoned in a corridor and denied medical attention after police labeled him an “armed robber” unworthy of help.
Contradictions in the Police Account
In a late-night podcast, Inspector General Gregory Coleman misrepresented the facts, describing the incident as “a stabbing incident involving police officers” and claiming that three officers were attacked by Matthew with a cutlass and a concealed knife. He further asserted that police acted within the LNP’s “use-of-force continuum” to “neutralize a mortal threat.”
Eyewitnesses and video evidence directly contradict this account. Only one officer was wounded, and Matthew was not armed with a cutlass, nor did he pose a risk to the community until restrained. Police fired at least seven rounds—an excessive and unlawful use of deadly force against an unarmed, mentally ill civilian.
The Inspector General’s misrepresentation and subsequent candlelight vigil glorifying the officers represent a deliberate attempt to cover up an extrajudicial killing.
Legal and Ethical Violations
- Violation of the Right to Life
Article 20(a) of the Liberian Constitution guarantees the right to life and due process. The deliberate use of lethal force against a mentally challenged person who posed no imminent threat constitutes an unlawful and extrajudicial killing.
- Breach of International Standards
The UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials (1990) stipulate that firearms should only be used when strictly unavoidable to protect life. The LNP’s actions grossly violated this principle.
- Failure of Duty of Care and Professional Conduct
The LNP Code of Ethics obligates officers to protect life and respect human dignity. Officers failed to de-escalate the situation, ignored medical protocols for handling mental illness, and resorted to lethal force where negotiation and restraint were possible.
- Public Deception and Abuse of Office
The Inspector General’s misleading statements undermine public trust and breach ethical duty under Part IV, Section 7 of the Police and Immigration Act, which mandates transparency and accountability in law enforcement communications.
STAND’s Position and Call to Action
STAND views the killing of Matthew Mulbah as an egregious abuse of power and a tragic indictment of Liberia’s policing culture. No family should call for police assistance and receive a corpse in return.
STAND demands:
- Immediate suspension of all officers involved pending an independent investigation.
- Forensic review of the firearm discharges and the alleged sedative injection.
- A public apology from the Inspector General to Matthew’s family.
- Establishment of a Mental Health Response Unit within the LNP, trained in crisis management and non-lethal intervention.
- Oversight from the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) and the Civil Society Council of Liberia to ensure justice and reform.
- Immediate dismissal of Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman for administrative and operational failures, defense of police brutality, and defense of alleged sexual predators.
Signed,
Mulbah K. Morlu, Jr.
Chairman, Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND)
Monrovia, Liberia
