MONROVIA (Reuters) - An American United Nations peacekeeper under investigation for sexual exploitation and abuse of minors in Liberia has been found dead in his house in the West African country, the U.N. said Wednesday.
The U.N. gave no further details about the circumstances of the death but two Liberian security sources said it appeared that the American, a civilian in the Liberia mission, known as UNMIL, had committed suicide due to the investigations.
Several U.N. missions across Africa have been plagued by allegations of abuse of women and children by peacekeepers and the world body has been widely criticised for its handling of the crises despite vowing a zero tolerance policy.
"UNMIL has learned of the untimely death of one of its international civilian staff members, an American citizen, who died on 24 August at his home in Monrovia," the U.N. said in a statement.
"The circumstances of his death are being investigated. The staff member was the subject of an investigation into allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of minors."
UNMIL said the Liberian government and the U.S. embassy in Monrovia had been involved in the investigations but neither were immediately available for comment.
However, a police source told Reuters that an American citizen had killed himself and one Sierra Leonean and two Liberian girls linked to him had been arrested.
An official at the Ministry of National Security said the American had been involved in sex trade over the last year but he gave no further details.
"I think it was ... shame that made him commit suicide. He did not want to undergo serious punishment and so, he had to kill himself," the official said, asking not to be named.
(Reporting by Alphonso Toweh; Additional reporting by Patrick Worsnip at the United Nations; Writing by David Lewis)
