Autopsy Contradicts Police, Rules Young Man’s Death in Custody a Homicide

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A government autopsy has contradicted the initial police account regarding the death of 19-year-old Yarkpawolo Moisema, who died while in custody at the Voinjama Police Depot in Lofa County, Liberia, on 6 January 2025. Authorities had initially reported Moisema’s death as a suicide, claiming he hanged himself with his shirt in his cell shortly after being transferred in connection with a murder investigation26. However, persistent public pressure and demands from Moisema’s family led to a formal autopsy before burial1.

The post-mortem, conducted at Tellewoyan Memorial Hospital and witnessed by family, law enforcement, and medical staff, ruled the death as “unnatural,” directly challenging the police’s suicide narrative and raising concerns about possible foul play and police conduct256. The suspicious circumstances, including the timing of Moisema’s death—just as he was set to provide crucial testimony in an ongoing murder case—have fueled widespread suspicion among the public that his death was a deliberate act to silence a key witness26.

The incident triggered significant civil unrest in Lofa County, including the burning of the Magisterial Court in John’s Town and attacks on other government facilities in January of this year. Following the autopsy report, residents have demanded a thorough, independent investigation, as well as the suspension and arrest of the officers involved.

The Ministry of Justice, under pressure from the public, has reiterated its commitment to impartial investigations and accountability, promising to leave no stone unturned in resolving this and other high-profile cases47.

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Additional Sources:

1. https://elbcradio.com/2025/01/15/family-demands-cause-of-sons-death-before-burial-in-lofa-county/

2. https://www.insightsliberia.com/post/lofa-in-chaos-death-in-custody-ignites-civil-unrest

3. https://thenewsnewspaperonline.com/corrupt-lnp-officer-dismissedtwo-others-suspended/

4. https://www.womenvoicesnewspaper.org/moj-recommits-to-justice-for-all-liberians/

5. https://hotpepperliberia.com/lnp-implements-reshuffle-at-lofa-county-police-command/

6. https://verityonlinenews.com/magistraterial-court-sets-on-fire-amid-death-of-suspect-in-police-custody/

7. https://thenewsnewspaperonline.com/investigating-cryptic-killingsjustice-ministry-to-hunt-assassins-of-late-auditors/

8. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/liberia-bereavement-death-abroad/liberia-bereavement-information

9. https://www.instagram.com/p/DKIIHHeMRCd/

10. https://elbcradio.com/2025/01/06/liberias-justice-ministry-orders-autopsy-on-remains-of-south-african-national/

11. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDqPntWq82I/

12. https://2021-2025.state.gov/reports/2023-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/liberia/

13. https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/africa/west-and-central-africa/liberia/

14. https://2021-2025.state.gov/report/custom/6366319c29/

15. https://allafrica.com/stories/200905200604.html

16. https://newspublictrust.com/govt-unveils-autopsy-reports-cites-no-foul-play-in-deaths-