Liberia: Private Bar HR Manager Dies as Boss Leroy Harris Faces Drug Trial

Monrovia-Emmanuel Gilman, the Human Resources Manager of Private Bar, has reportedly died under circumstances that are raising fresh questions amid an ongoing drug investigation that has already placed the establishment and its chief executive officer, Leroy Harris, under intense scrutiny.

By Willie N. Tokpah

Gilman reportedly died Monday night at a clinic along the S.D. Cooper Road after being taken there for medical attention.

The precise circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear.

One source familiar with the development alleged that Gilman had sustained injuries following a fall, but that account has not been independently verified, as to which fall.

Police have reportedly been informed of the death and are expected to respond as authorities begin determining what happened.

The timing of Gilman’s death is likely to attract heightened public attention because of his position at Private Bar and the ongoing criminal case involving his boss, Leroy Harris.

Harris is currently in custody and facing trial in connection with the continuing drug investigation involving Private Bar.

The establishment has reportedly remained closed and under police watch for more than a month as investigators pursue the case.

A Potential Witness Now Dead

Gilman’s death assumes particular significance because of his role within Private Bar.

Sources say investigators and lawyers were aware of Gilman’s position at the establishment and that he could have been called to provide information relevant to the pending proceedings against Harris.

That possibility has now been complicated by his sudden death.

Gilman had also previously testified in the Bill Jallah case, reportedly because of information connected to his professional responsibilities at Private Bar.

His death therefore raises a crucial concern for investigators and the public, as to what exactly happened to a senior employee of a business at the center of a major drug investigation, at a time when his employer is behind bars awaiting trial

That question, however, remains unanswered.

There is currently no established evidence publicly linking Gilman’s death to the drug investigation or to Harris.

Any such connection would have to be determined through a proper police investigation, including examination of the circumstances preceding his death, his medical condition, the nature of any reported injuries and accounts from persons who were with him before he was taken to the clinic.

Drug Saga Takes Another Troubling Turn

The development comes as the Private Bar controversy continues to unfold.
Harris, the establishment’s CEO, is currently in custody as the State pursues its case in the broader drug-related investigation.

Private Bar itself has remained shut under police watch, placing the business at the center of an investigation with potentially far-reaching consequences.

Now, with Gilman reportedly dead, questions are likely to intensify about what information he possessed, whether he had been contacted by investigators or lawyers, and whether he was expected to play any role in the pending proceedings.

Concerns have mounted over the need for the circumstances of Gilman’s death to be independently established, and authorities should determine whether his death was natural, accidental or the result of any criminal act.

For now, the most troubling fact is the timing: a key employee of a business embroiled in a major drug investigation is dead, while the company’s boss remains incarcerated and prepares to face trial.

Whether the two events are completely unrelated or whether investigators will uncover a connection remains to be determined.

When contacted by FrontPageAfrica on Tuesday, September 15, Sam Collins, Police Spokesman, said he is unaware of any information concerning the cause of Gilman’s death, as only the Gilman Family can do so.

At the same time, when questioned as to whether Gilman was one of those called in by Joint Security Investigators during the investigation of his boss, Leroy Harris, Collins refused to comment on the matter, noting that only Joint Security can speak to that.