By: Edwin G. Genoway Special Correspondent
HARPER, Liberia — The year 1979 remains etched in the soul of Maryland County as a period of profound darkness. What began as a gruesome criminal investigation into the death of a traditional drummer evolved into a state-sponsored execution that many historians now view as a calculated political purge by the administration of President William R. Tolbert Jr.
The Spark: The Mutilation of Moses Tweh
The tragedy began with the disappearance of Moses Tweh, a respected Kru traditional drummer from the Garraway Belt. In Kru culture, drummers are more than musicians; they are the keepers of history and spiritual communicators.
When Tweh’s body was discovered on a beach in Harper, the sight sent shockwaves through the region. The corpse was severely mutilated: eyes, tongue, fingers, and other organs were missing. In southeastern Liberia, such discoveries are immediately associated with “Boyo”—ritualistic killings believed to be used for attaining spiritual or political power.
However, the state’s handling of the scene immediately raised red flags. Police cordoned off the area, preventing the public from verifying the body, and whisked the remains to an undisclosed location. No public autopsy was ever conducted, and no independent medical report was released. This lack of transparency fueled a growing suspicion: was the death of Moses Tweh being weaponized for a higher political agenda?
A House Divided: The Tolbert-Tubman Rivalry
To understand why seven high-ranking officials were eventually marched to the gallows, one must look at the fractured politics of the True Whig Party. For decades, Maryland County was the bedrock of Liberian power under President William V.S. Tubman.
When Tolbert assumed the presidency in 1971, he sought to dismantle the Maryland-centric power structure Tubman had built. Tensions peaked when James Anderson, the elderly National Chairman of the True Whig Party, attempted to reassert party control from Harper, allegedly angering President Tolbert.
The Moses Tweh case provided a convenient pretext. Shortly after the body was found, the Superintendent of Maryland County, James Daniel Anderson (son of the Party Chairman), was accused of failing to properly brief the President. He was promptly suspended, signaling the start of what many Marylanders saw as a “political cleansing.”
Torture and the “Moses Law”
The subsequent investigation was marked by brutality rather than due process. Nine individuals were detained, including Superintendent Anderson and Representative Nathaniel Allen Yancy.
Reports from the era paint a harrowing picture of their time in custody. At the Firestone Rubber Corporation site (now Cavalla), detainees were reportedly subjected to “the drum”—a torture method involving immersion in ice-cold water during interrogations. Under these conditions, “confessions” were extracted.
Despite the protections of the 1847 Constitution, which forbade torture and guaranteed a fair trial, the government invoked what was popularly called “Moses Law”—a doctrine of “an eye for an eye.”
The Hanging at Near Martha Tubman Stadium
The climax of this political drama occurred at the Martha Tubman Stadium in Harper. Seven individuals were sentenced to death and publicly hanged:
- Hon. James Daniel Anderson – Superintendent of Maryland County
- Hon. Nathaniel Allen Yancy – Representative of the Harper District
- Francis Wlateh Nyepan – Assistant Supervisor of Schools
- Philip B. Seyton – Senior Inspector, Ministry of Commerce
- Thomas Barclay – Cook to Hon. Yancy
- Wreh Taryonnoh – Girlfriend of Francis Nyepan
- Putu Dweh – Ally of Hon. Yancy
The executions shocked the nation. While the murder of Moses Tweh was an undeniable crime, the state’s response—characterized by humiliation, stripped dignity, and a lack of impartial justice—was viewed by many as a grave violation of human rights.
A Legacy of Warning
The hanging of the Maryland Seven remains a cautionary tale of unchecked executive power. For Marylanders, it was not justice for Moses Tweh, but the execution of a political class.
As Liberia continues its journey toward national healing, the story of 1979 serves as a reminder that when the rule of law is sacrificed for political gain, the scars on the national psyche can last for generations. Only through an honest accounting of these “darkest moments” can the country ensure that justice is never again denied.
About the Author: Edwin G. Genoway is a Liberian activist, historian, and Pan-Africanist dedicated to social justice and the preservation of Liberian history.