A man identified as Boakai Samukai, in his early 30s, yesterday committed suicide at his Carey and Warren Street residence in central Monrovia.
According to friends, Samukai was discovered with a rope around his neck around 2 p.m., reportedly after eating fried plantain and enjoying an afternoon lunch.
“Samukai was at first receiving support from his parents who are in the United States; but in recent times, they stopped sending him money. He always claimed someone had told his parents about the bad life he was living in Monrovia, which may have caused them to stop sending him support,” a man claiming to be his friend said.
The friend, who chose not to be identified, said Samukai had resided on Carey and Warren Streets for many years and was known by residents there.
“We didn’t expect Samukai to hang himself because he was a strong hustler,” a friend said.
He added that “Samukai was what is known locally as ‘a big boy’ at the time his parents were sending him money and life was good for him.”
“Samukai was assistant chief security for the famous Club 69, located around the old Central Bank of Liberia building here,” another friend said.
Many of those claiming to be Samukai’s friends said he had children and often called on his parents to help support them.
“I saw one of his sons with him at Takun J’s place on Carey Street,” said another friend.
Many of his friends said they would remember Samukai by his popular name ‘Zakalogo,’ adding that he was rarely referred to by his given name.
Samukai or Zakalogo, they said, was seen on Monday night selling a “broken mirror around Johnson Street” and “we laughed at him and told him that the hustle was really red on him.”
Meanwhile, members of the Liberia National Police’s Forensic Division arrived at the scene to start their investigations, and later asked onlookers to disperse.
