Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh has cautioned state investigators against the application of selective justice in the ongoing probe of individuals and suspects linked to the over US$336 million cocaine bust in Liberia.
By Obediah Johnson
According to him, the selective application of the law would kill public trust and confidence in the dispensation of the rule of law in the country.
Senator Konneh recalled that Liberia lost the US$100M cocaine case in 2023 not because the former Coalition for Democratic Change-led government of ex-President George Weah didn’t seize it, but because the government’s prosecution team at the time didn’t follow the rules to the end — a broken chain of custody, no financial trail of the cartel, and weak prosecution.
He made these comments at the Edward Wilmot Blyden Intellectual Discourse organized by the Press Union of Liberia in Monrovia on August 26.
He spoke on the theme: 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐰.
Senator Konneh pointed out that the fastest way for government to prove that it is not carrying out selective justice is to apply the same standard to EVERYONE linked, uniform or not, and prosecute within 90 days.
He urged the Minister of Justice Oswald Tweah to pursue that and make the necessary appropriations request to the Legislature through the President.
He observed that a swift, public trial clears innocent officers, permanently removes compromised ones, and tells the honest cops that the system will protect them.
Charge suspended officers
Senator Konneh said state investigators should charge all suspended officers or reinstate those with no evidence found to link them to the cocaine bust.
He stressed that “indefinite suspension without charge is selective justice.”
“If we stop at suspensions and dismissals, we create the perception of selective justice: accused ordinary people in jail, big security boys suspended or fired without facing justice. This reduces public trust in the investigation. We must fix that quickly!”
Senator Konneh pointed out that though he supports the Task Force setup by the Liberian leader to investigate the cocaine busts in the country, the Task Force must present a bulletproof case and evidence against the suspects in court.
Procurement concerns
He also raised public procurement and financial management concerns in the police arising from the ongoing cocaine investigation.
According to him, rumors are circulating about police vehicles bought from Minnesota, luxury SUVs for officials, and SUVs registered to private citizens allegedly being driven by security chiefs.
Senator Konneh stressed that these rumors may be false — but in a drug case of this magnitude, perception is an enemy.
He, however, challenged the Task Force to publish a report on PPCC approval for any vehicle bought with GOL money consistent with the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) and Public Financial Management (PFM) laws of Liberia, GSA asset registration, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning payment vouchers and Liberia Revenue Authority duty waiver.
He maintained that sole-source purchases, especially for security agencies, are not a violation, but under the PPCC rules, single-source or sole-source procurement requires prior explicit approval from the Commission, regardless of the estimated financial value.
“If the cars are GOL property, the documents will exonerate the police, build their credibility, and strengthen the cocaine case to build the bulletproof case I mentioned earlier. If not, the police need to fix it now before defense lawyers use it to destroy their case.”
Low income
Speaking further, Senator Konneh stated that Liberians cannot ask agents of the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) earning US$150 to resist a cartel offering US$50,000.
He said such a huge offer for a compromise is not accountability, but temptation.
He vowed to work with his colleagues in the Liberian Senate to push for direct budgetary support for LDEA & a forensic drug lab, hazard pay and insurance for Task Force members, and a Special Drug Court with protected judges to try illicit drug-related cases in 90 days.
Seize assets
Senator Konneh called for enforcement of the asset forfeiture provisions in the new drug law of Liberia as part of efforts to turn the latest cocaine bust in the country to executing the law without fear or favor.
Amongst other things, Section 14.97 of Liberia’s Revised Drug Law of 2023, calls for the seizure, confiscation, and forfeiture of drugs and related property.
He encouraged the Task Force to implement this provision of the law to the fullest.
He said seized drug money should be used to build and support rehab centers in Gbarpolu, Bomi, Montserrado, and other counties as a regional approach could be cost-effective early on.
Senator Konneh added that investigators should also enforce the chain of custody enshrined in the new drug law setting clear evidentiary and chain-of-custody standards that govern how illicit items are handled from initial seizure to final courtroom presentation.
“This is the bulletproof evidence that must be followed to win this drug case.That way, President Boakai’s action today becomes a system that survives tomorrow for future Liberian presidents.”
Security challenge
According to him, illicit drugs remain the biggest national security challenge Liberia faces.
Senator Konneh observed that in past governments, a cocaine case of this size would have quietly disappeared.
But this time, he added that, the Liberian Senate didn’t allow that to happen.
According to him, the Senate provided vigorous oversight to demand accountability; the President took decisive actions and suspended and dismissed senior security officials alleged to have links to the cartel.
He recalled that the Task Force setup by the Liberian leader also seized the drugs, showed them to the public through the press, and invited the world to watch the burning.
“That is not new, but it is commendable. It shows political will at the top. However, suspending officials and burning confiscated drugs are the easy part. Securing a conviction in court is the hard part.”
Meanwhile, Senator Konneh has assured that the Senate will continue to demand answers, and regular classified briefings will help Senators support the investigation.
He observed that President Boakai has taken a bold first step by suspending his own officials and the Joint Task Force also took a bold step by seizing and destroying the drugs.
“Now let’s take the second, harder step: swift, equal, and transparent justice and an independent investigation into allegations of corruption by senior security officials. No selective justice. No sacred cows, in President Boakai’s voice. No endless investigations either, with no charges for accused security personnel.”
He stressed that the LDEA under the leadership of retired Major General Daniel Dee Ziankahn Jr., the Police, and the Ministry of Justice should be given more money to train, build the lab, and enforce one of the strong drug laws Liberia has passed in the subregion.
Senator Konneh said these authorities should in return provide receipts on expenditures for transparency, and for respect for the justice system and courts.
“That is a win-win deal every Liberian can support. Funding our security institutions is the Legislature’s core responsibility, and as a member, we continue to fulfill it with yearly increases in security sector funding. If we do that, the President wins, the Task Force wins, and Liberia wins. All of us win!”
Support Independent Journalism
Your support helps FrontPage Africa continue delivering independent, credible, and impactful journalism. Every contribution strengthens our ability to investigate, inform, and hold power accountable while keeping quality journalism accessible to our readers.
Support our journalism or subscribe to receive the latest FrontPage Africa stories and updates.
