MONROVIA — United States-based Liberian rule of law practitioner Alfred Johnson has questioned whether evidence made public so far is sufficient to substantiate allegations linking the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) to a drug cartel.
Johnson said the allegations are serious and deserve a thorough investigation, but cautioned against reaching a definitive conclusion before the claims and supporting materials are independently verified.
His comments come in response to allegations raised by activist Martin K. N. Kollie, who has been vocal about Liberia’s growing drug crisis and recently presented materials he believes point to a possible connection between the LDEA OIC and a vehicle allegedly linked to an individual arrested in connection with the ongoing drug investigation.
The materials reportedly include an editable vehicle registration record, photographs and videos showing a pickup truck traveling with the LDEA OIC’s convoy.
Johnson acknowledged that the presence of the pickup raises questions, particularly given the multiple videos in which the vehicle reportedly appears alongside the LDEA OIC.
However, he said the materials currently available do not establish that the pickup seen in the convoy is the same vehicle allegedly gifted by an individual arrested in connection with the drug case.
Johnson said establishing such a connection would require more than video footage or an editable spreadsheet.
He called for the examination of the vehicle’s official registration documents, Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), purchase records, ownership history and other relevant records.
He said investigators should compare the VIN of the vehicle seen in the OIC’s convoy with the identification number contained in the registration and acquisition documents allegedly linked to the arrested individual.
Such a comparison, Johnson noted, could help determine whether the vehicle at the center of the controversy is indeed the one allegedly connected to the drug investigation.
Questions Over Vehicle Ownership
Johnson also urged the LDEA to clarify how the pickup came into its possession and who legally owns it.
If the vehicle is a government asset, he said the agency should make available relevant General Services Agency (GSA) records, including the bill of sale, registration documents, date of acquisition and other supporting records.
He further questioned whether the vehicle was purchased, donated, loaned or otherwise provided to the agency or its OIC.
“If the pickup is or was a gift, who gifted the vehicle? To whom was it gifted? Was it given to the OIC personally or to the LDEA?” Johnson asked, stressing the importance of transparency in resolving the controversy.
He also said the public should be informed about the government’s policies governing gifts, donations and loaned vehicles involving public officials and government institutions.
LDEA Response Under Scrutiny
Johnson questioned whether the LDEA’s response to the allegations has adequately addressed the concerns surrounding the vehicle.
He argued that a press statement alone may not settle questions about ownership and acquisition, adding that documentary evidence would provide a clearer basis for resolving the controversy.
At the same time, Johnson said the materials presented by Kollie should undergo further verification before being treated as proof of a relationship between the LDEA OIC and a drug cartel.
He noted that videos showing the pickup in the OIC’s convoy demonstrate that the vehicle is associated with the convoy, but do not, on their own, establish its ownership, source or the circumstances under which it was acquired.
Call for Evidence-Based Investigation
Johnson described any alleged connection between the LDEA OIC and an individual arrested in the drug investigation as a matter of significant public interest, particularly given the agency’s mandate to combat narcotics trafficking.
He said both the LDEA and those making the allegations have a responsibility to present verifiable information.
According to Johnson, the agency should provide clear records concerning the pickup, while investigators should independently examine its registration, ownership and acquisition history.
Based on the evidence publicly available at this stage, Johnson said there is not enough information to conclusively characterize the LDEA OIC as being connected to a drug cartel.
He urged that the matter instead be subjected to further investigation, documentary verification and due process before any final judgment is made.
