By Marie Willie
MONROVIA, October 22, 2026 — The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) has dismissed two soldiers over the alleged assault of a young woman in Paynesville, underscoring the military’s stated commitment to discipline even as the victim appealed for a less severe punishment.
The dismissal of Sgt. Robert P. Menyon and Sgt. Abu S.B. Sheriff, both assigned to the 23rd Infantry Brigade, followed the circulation of a video on social media showing the alleged incident in the Thinkers Village community on October 20, 2026.
The case drew widespread public condemnation, prompting the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) to take disciplinary action against the two personnel.
But the victim, Blessings Kpalleh, said she had forgiven the soldiers and did not want them to lose their careers, highlighting a contrast between her appeal for leniency and the military’s decision to discharge them.
“I just wanted some punishment for them, but I don’t think making them leave the army is good,” Kpalleh told journalists at the Edward Beyan Kesselly Military Barracks on Wednesday, as the dismissal order was being read.
Kpalleh, a young mother, said her intention was to see the soldiers held accountable for their actions rather than permanently removed from military service.
Her appeal, however, did not alter the military’s decision.
AFL Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Davidson Forleh announced the dismissals during a ceremony at the barracks attended by senior military officers, Kpalleh and members of her family.
Forleh described the soldiers’ conduct as unacceptable, saying their actions violated the standards expected of personnel entrusted with protecting the public.
“These soldiers are bad apples. They are virus. They are Ebola virus,” he said, condemning the incident as an abuse of the military uniform.
The army chief said the decision was based on information obtained through the military’s internal security and investigative processes, rather than pressure generated by the viral video.
He said military police were dispatched to apprehend the soldiers after authorities received information about the incident.
“This is an abuse to our uniform. The AFL you see today is a force for good,” Forleh said, warning that the military would not tolerate misconduct by its personnel.
The dismissal order, read by the AFL’s J1 Chief of Personnel, cited Chapter 7, Section 7J of Liberia’s New National Defense Act of 2008 as the legal basis for the administrative action.
Order No. 6, dated October 21, 2026, discharged both sergeants for the good of the service, with immediate effect. It also directed the provost marshal to recover government property in their possession.
The order further instructed that their families be removed from the EBK Military Barracks and relocated to the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex area.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation in Thinkers Village remain unclear from the information made public at the ceremony.
The case has placed renewed attention on military accountability and the treatment of civilians by security personnel, with the dismissal signaling the AFL leadership’s stated position that violations of professional standards will carry consequences.
For Kpalleh, however, the outcome was more severe than she had hoped for.
Although she wanted the soldiers punished, she said forgiveness and accountability could have been pursued without ending their military careers.
The AFL has maintained that discipline and professionalism remain central to its mission under Forleh’s leadership and the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.