Monrovia — The Chairman of the Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), Mulbah K. Morlu, has called for the immediate dismissal and prosecution of Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman following the killing of 29-year-old Matthew Mulbah, a mentally ill man shot by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in Congo Town.
In a statement issued on Sunday, October 12, 2025, Morlu condemned what he described as a cold-blooded and unlawful killing carried out by police officers who were called by the victim's family for assistance, not violence.
According to STAND, the officers' response reflects a deep-rooted pattern of police brutality, abuse of power, and disregard for human rights.
Eyewitnesses said that on October 8, police were called after Matthew experienced a mental health crisis. The first team of officers who arrived reportedly handled the situation peacefully and left after Matthew refused to be taken to a mental health facility.
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Later in the day, another team returned with a man identified as a doctor who attempted to sedate Matthew. During a struggle, Matthew allegedly injured an officer with a knife and retreated into his room. Reinforcements were then called, and officers reportedly fired several rounds inside the house, hitting Matthew as he hid in a bathroom.
Witnesses and video evidence cited by STAND indicate that the wounded man was dragged outside, crying for help, and injected with an unknown substance while handcuffed and bleeding. He was later taken to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, where he was allegedly left unattended after police labeled him an "armed robber."
In response to public outcry, Inspector General Gregory Coleman appeared on a podcast where he claimed that three officers were attacked by Matthew with a cutlass and a concealed knife and that police acted to "neutralize a mortal threat." STAND said this account is false and part of a cover-up, noting that only one officer was injured and that Matthew did not possess a cutlass or threaten the public.
Morlu accused Coleman of deliberately misleading the public and glorifying the officers involved through a police-organized candlelight vigil, describing his actions as "a betrayal of justice and an endorsement of extrajudicial killings." He said Coleman's conduct demonstrates a failure of leadership, accountability, and compassion, and he must therefore be dismissed immediately.
"Liberians cannot continue to live in fear of those who are supposed to protect them," Morlu said. "No family should call the police for help and end up mourning a loved one. Inspector General Coleman has failed the country and must go."
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STAND outlined several demands, including the suspension of all officers involved, an independent investigation into the incident, a public apology to the victim's family, and the establishment of a mental health response unit within the LNP.
The group also called for oversight by the Independent National Commission on Human Rights and the Civil Society Council of Liberia to ensure transparency and reform within the police force.
Morlu warned that Liberians are growing impatient with what he described as a culture of impunity in the security sector. "December 17 is coming--lead or leave. Enough is enough," he stated.
