A Firsthand Account of President Tolbert’s Assassination
Joseph C. Kekula, a former member of President William R. Tolbert Jr.’s Special Security Service, shared his personal experiences of the morning of Liberia’s coup d’état in 1980 during a recent interview, providing a unique perspective from inside the Executive Mansion.
Kekula challenges the longstanding belief that “white men” were responsible for Tolbert’s assassination, asserting that the armed men he observed were members of the Armed Forces of Liberia. He recalled receiving a warning about a coup shortly before the attack, but said Tolbert dismissed it, believing his soldiers would not harm him.
Kekula had been warned by his younger brother, also in the Special Security Service, not to attend work that day. Despite this, he fulfilled his duty to protect the president. When he arrived at the mansion, he alerted his commander, but was met with disbelief. The warning was eventually passed to Tolbert, who remained unconvinced of any impending danger.
As gunfire erupted, Kekula was on communications duty and witnessed armed soldiers taking security officers captive via the mansion’s surveillance system. He later saw a long-time bodyguard being shot and described the chilling atmosphere as Tolbert’s children were brought into a hallway.
When soldiers stormed Tolbert’s private quarters, Kekula reported the president appeared dressed in white and carrying a cane. In the moments that followed, Tolbert was fatally shot by the soldiers, who celebrated their success with the words “Mission accomplished.”
After the assassination, Kekula helped transport some injured soldiers away from the scene, eventually managing to escape himself. Notably, his account does not mention Samuel K. Doe, who later became chairman of the People’s Redemption Council.
In the aftermath of the coup, many involved faced violent ends. Nelson Toe, who became the youngest member of the council, was executed a year later, while Harrison Pennue met a similar fate during Doe’s capture in 1990.
Kekula survived the turmoil and later headed the Liberia National Police in the post-war period. Reflecting on that fateful morning, he expressed remorse for not heeding his brother’s warning. Despite years passing, the pain of witnessing Tolbert’s assassination remains vivid.
This personal testimony sheds new light on the events of April 12, 1980, directly disputing the myth of foreign involvement and highlighting the stark reality of internal conflict within Liberia.
For those interested in Kekula’s full interview, the link can be found in the comments.
