By Mark N. Mengonfia
Some members of the Liberian Senate are doubtful and concerned about any positive outcome from the ongoing $19 million drug investigation, but the Liberia National Police (LNP) has promised to send persons of interest to court before the end of this week.
The concerns were raised when members of the Joint Security Committee investigating the $19 million drug case appeared before the full plenary of the Liberian Senate.
During the hearing, senators cited instances in which security institutions failed to conduct thorough investigations, leading to a lack of accountability for those involved in drug trafficking.
Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe of Bomi County questioned whether members of the Joint Security Committee were themselves connected to the drug cartel, noting that no arrests had yet been made. However, the officials appearing before the plenary denied any involvement in the drug trade.
The senators also questioned why Michael Brown, whom the LNP reportedly has as a contact, along with Paul King, Rabin Bah, and others linked to the case, had not been arrested and taken to court. They further asked why CCTV footage at Roberts International Airport (RIA) had not been reviewed to expedite the investigation and why the authorities had not contacted the United Kingdom government regarding Usman Ali, the consignee on the UK side designated to receive the shipment from Liberia.
Senator Snowe said, “Mr. IG, maybe we will talk behind closed doors, but I have more doubts.”
The Bomi County lawmaker did not elaborate on those doubts but questioned whether members of the security apparatus were associated with the drug cartel.
Senator Nimen TH Batiqua referenced previous drug cases involving approximately $150 million worth of narcotics in Liberia and said those investigations yielded no meaningful results.
Bomi County Senator Alex Tyler also expressed concerns about the failure to review the CCTV footage.
Meanwhile, Senator Samuel G. Kogar called on President Joseph Boakai to suspend the current leadership overseeing the investigation to allow a new team to identify and prosecute those linked to the $19 million drug trafficking case.
“If the president does not take a decision on this matter, the blame will be on him,” Senator Kogar of Nimba County said.
Responding to the senators’ concerns, Police Inspector General Gregory O.W. Coleman, who spoke on behalf of the Joint Security Committee, said investigators are making every effort to identify the right suspects adding that investigations require time and resources.
He said that, so far, no arrests have been made, indicating that most of the individuals linked to the case remain at large.
Coleman said investigators are being careful not to compromise the case and are “crossing all the T’s and dotting the I’s” before making arrests.
When questioned about the outcome of his trip to the United Kingdom, the Police IG said the information obtained there is confidential and cannot yet be made public.
However, he assured the senators that before the end of this week, the persons of interest identified by investigators would be formally charged and sent to court.
“We want to have a successful case. It requires serious time and resources to complete the investigation,” he said.
Regarding the CCTV cameras at Roberts International Airport, Coleman acknowledged that the facility is not entirely owned by the Government of Liberia. As a result, investigators will need a court warrant before reviewing the footage.
Earlier last month, news broke of a $19 million drug bust, a development that made President Joseph Boakai to address the nation, assuring Liberians of the government’s commitment to prosecuting those responsible but the delay in arresting those responsible is raising questions about government fights.
