The most prominent members of William Tolbert's government had
different fates after the 12 April 1980 coup led by Samuel Kanyon
Doe. Fourteen members of the "old ruling group were charged with
high treason, corruption, misuse of public office and the
suppression of civil and human rights" (
Africa Contemporary
Record 1981, B530). On 22 April 1980, after a week of hearings,
13 of those prisoners were executed at the beach of Barclay
Training Centre. These included six former Ministers (listed in the
attached documents) and Frank Tolbert, brother of former President
William (W.R.) Tolbert (
Ibid.).
The other persons executed on 22 April 1980 were two prominent
members of the True Whig Party, a Congressman, the Speaker of the
House, the former Budget Director and a former Chief Justice
(
Ibid.).
However, four Ministers from Tolbert's cabinet reportedly remained
in the cabinet of Samuel Doe. George Boley became the Minister of
Presidential Affairs, while Gabriel J. Tucker, Kate Bryant and
Lansana Dunso retained their posts at the ministries of Public
Works, Health and Welfare and Development and Progress,
respectively (
Africa Confidential 23 Apr. 1980). The
available report quotes Samuel Doe as saying:
All cabinet ministers under the administration of the late William
Tolbert who have not been associated withany form of rampant and
uncontrollable corruption will be considered for participation in
the new government" (
Ibid.
Nevertheless, the early casualties of Doe's coup reportedly
amounted to 25 people, which included William Tolbert, some
presidential guards and "other members of the president's family"
(
Ibid.).
After assuming power, the Doe government reportedly confiscated
William Tolbert's wealth and property, "except for the houses
occupied by his surviving family, who were all placed under house
arrest" (
Africa Contemporary Record 1980, B531).
According to another
Africa Confidential report, Adolphus
Benedict (A. B.) Tolbert was the son of William Tolbert and
son-in-law of Côte d'Ivoire's President Félix
Houphouët-Boigny (17 May 1991). A.B. Tolbert was reportedly
murdered by Samuel Doe or his men "in the earliest day of his
[Doe's] regime" (
Ibid.). The report adds:
Doe had promised Houphouët-Boigny that AB [Tolbert], who had
been dragged from the sanctuary of the French embassy in Monrovia,
would be spared. Huophouët-Boigny never forgave this perfidy
(
Ibid.).
Another report indicates that A.B. Tolbert was married to
Houphouët-Boigny's foster-daughter, adding that he had been
the Chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs
Committee (
Africa Contemporary Record 1981, B530). The same
source adds that A.B. Tolbert had sought refuge in the French
Embassy at Monrovia on 14 April 1980, from which he was taken by
soldiers on 14 June of the same year. Although a fair trial for him
was publicly promised, by 1981 he was presumed dead, with rumours
reportedly blaming Doe's Deputy-Head of State Weh Syen for his
death (
Ibid. 1982, B454).
Samuel Doe gradually released a number of detained former members
of the overthrown government, including at least one former
Minister, and later announced an amnesty for political prisoners on
Christmas 1981 (
Ibid. 1980, B531;
Ibid. 1982, B454).
However, three prominent figures from the overthrown government
were not released by that amnesty: Clarence Simson (Secretary
General of the True Whig Party), Bonnie Warner (former
Vice-President) and A.B. Tolbert (
Ibid.).
Sumo Jones, Tolbert's head of security, was reportedly named
Deputy Foreign Minister by Samuel Doe (
Africa Confidential
22 Apr. 1981). Due to political pressure, Jones was them moved to
the Information Ministry (
Ibid.).
Additional information on the requested subject could not be found
among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.
BibliographyA frica Confidential [London, U.K.].
17 May 1991. "Liberia: Sparking Fires in West Africa."
. 22 April 1981. "Liberia:
. 21 May 1980. "Liberia: The New Men."
. 23 April 1980. "Liberia: Who Rules?"
Legum, Colin, ed. 1982.
Africa Contemporary Record: Annual
Survey and Documents 1981 - 1982. New York/London: Africana
Publishing Company.
Legum, Colin, ed. 1981. Africa
Contemporary Record: Annual Survey and Documents 1980 - 1981.
New York/London: Africana Publishing Company.
Attachments
Africa Confidential [London,
U.K.]. 21 May 1980. "Liberia: The New Men."
. 23 April 1980. "Liberia: Who Rules?"
Legum, Colin, ed. 1981. Africa
Contemporary Record: Annual Survey and Documents 1980 - 1981.
New York/London: Africana Publishing Company, pp. B530-1.