The Officer Commanding the Airport Presidential Guard Unit, Moses Kabba, was fatally shot this morning by a subordinate, Corporal Steven, in what investigators believe was a dispute over the allocation of “token money” traditionally given to guards by senior government officials.
It is customary for the President and Vice President to offer small monetary gestures-commonly referred to as tokens-to members of the Presidential Guard whenever they travel in or out of the country. These tokens are meant as modest expressions of appreciation for the guards’ loyalty and service. However, the equitable distribution of these funds has long been a source of internal friction within the unit.
According to eyewitnesses, tensions reached a breaking point when Corporal Steven accused Commander Kabba of withholding the tokens reportedly distributed by the Vice President earlier this morning. The incident follows similar complaints from the previous day, when President Julius Maada Bio returned from Angola and allegedly issued token money that some guards claim was not shared evenly by senior officers, including Kabba.
Sources say this longstanding discontent-fueled by repeated grievances over how token money is handled-appeared to culminate in today’s confrontation. Witnesses report that the argument escalated rapidly, ending with Corporal Steven fatally shooting Commander Kabba before fleeing the scene. He remains at large.
Military and police authorities have launched a joint investigation, but no official statement has yet been released regarding the motive or sequence of events. Further updates are expected as inquiries continue.
