Samuel Kenyon Doe was a Liberian politician who served as the Liberian leader from 1980 to 1990, first as a military leader and later as a civilian. While a master sergeant in the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), Doe staged a violent coup d'etat in April 1980 that left him de facto head of state.
The tend president William Tolbert, and much of the True Whig Party leadership were executed during the Coup.
Doe then established the People's Redemption Council, assuming the rank of general.
Doe was captured in Monrovia on September 9, 1990, by Prince Y. Johnson, leader of INPFL, a breakaway faction of Taylor's NPFL.
General Quinoo, the head of ECOMOG, had invited Doe to the ECOMOG headquarters for a meeting and assured him of his safety from the rebels. On the morning of September 9, 1990,
Doe convoy of lightly armed personnel arrived at a precarious time during an ongoing change in guard duty from the well-armed and better equipped Nigerian team of peacekeepers to the weaker Gambian contingent.
Johnson's rebels surprised everyone by suddenly arriving on the scene uninvited and heavily armed, overwhelming and disarming Doe's team while encountering no resistance. Johnsons Team gunned down Doe’s men.
Upon hearing the gunshots from outside, Doe expressed concern to Quinoo, who assured him that all was fine. Quinoo later excused himself to check on what was happening outside and was followed by his aide, Captain Coker of the Gambian contingent. Both men took cover upon assessing the situation.
Johnson's men moved indoors, finished off Doe's remaining team, shot him in the leg, and took him captive.
Coker characterized the incident not as a fight, but a brutal massacre. Remarkably, none of the ECOMOG personnel were shot.
Doe was taken to Johnson's military base and tortured before being killed and exposed naked in the streets of Monrovia where they spilled dirty water on his head. To prove that he was not protected by black magic, his ears were cut off, then some of his fingers and toes.
After 12 hours of torture at Johnson’s hands, Doe was finally murdered; his corpse was exhibited in the streets of Monrovia. Doe's body was later exhumed and reburied.
After 12 hours of torture at Johnson’s hands, Doe was finally murdered; his corpse was exhibited in the streets of Monrovia. Doe's body was later exhumed and reburied.
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