Capitol Hill, Liberia – Nimba County Senator Samuel G. Kogar has raised fresh questions about the government’s handling of the reported US$19 million cocaine investigation, calling on the Liberian Senate to launch a thorough review into what he described as unanswered issues surrounding the high-profile probe.
In a formal communication addressed to Senate Pro-Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, Senator Kogar questioned the decision to remove the investigation from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), the country’s statutory anti-narcotics institution, and place it under the leadership of the Liberia National Police (LNP).
According to the senator, investigations involving narcotics offenses are primarily the responsibility of the LDEA. He argued that if authorities considered the matter a national security threat, the National Security Council should have first convened and formally established a special investigative committee before assigning responsibility for the case.
”The issue of the US$19 million drugs investigation is the primary function of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, and if for any reason this investigation is elevated as a national security threat, it should claim the National Security Council’s attention before it can be elevated,” Kogar wrote.
The senator said the Senate should be informed how the investigation shifted from the LDEA to the Liberia National Police and whether the National Security Council authorized the arrangement.
He also questioned whether any international security or law enforcement agency is assisting the Liberian government with the investigation and urged authorities to disclose the identity of any such institution.
Kogar further asserted that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Chairman of the National Security Council, should inform the Senate whether he convened or presided over a meeting that approved the current investigative team headed by Liberia National Police Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman.
Drawing comparisons with the investigation into the Capitol Building fire, the Nimba County lawmaker noted that the Liberia National Police, the National Fire Service, and the National Security Agency coordinated effectively to identify suspects, make arrests, and forward cases to court within a relatively short period.
He questioned why similar investigative measures have not been publicly presented in the ongoing cocaine investigation, particularly telephone call records involving persons of interest.
”It is important for us to be informed,” Kogar stated, arguing that call logs could provide valuable evidence to strengthen the investigation.
To enhance legislative oversight, the senator requested that the Senate Committee on Defense, Intelligence, Security and Veteran Affairs obtain several key documents from relevant government institutions.
Among the documents sought are the call logs of persons of interest, any formal communication from the National Security Council appointing the Inspector General of Police to lead the investigation, and documentation relating to the reported release of Oscar Browne, Security Director for Intelligence at Roberts International Airport.
Kogar also called on the Judiciary or the Ministry of Justice to submit the official release order that authorized Browne’s release from detention. Additionally, he wants Browne’s lawyer to appear before the Senate with documentary evidence explaining how his client secured his release.
The senator’s communication comes as public scrutiny intensifies over the government’s handling of one of Liberia’s largest reported cocaine seizures, with growing calls for greater transparency, accountability, and an independent review of the investigation.
Should the Senate act on Kogar’s request, the matter could open a new phase of legislative oversight into the conduct of the investigation and the role played by the country’s security institutions.
Who Is Running the US$19M Drug Investigation? Kogar Wants Answers
