By Socrates Smythe Saywon
MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Pressure is mounting on Liberia National Police Inspector General Gregory O.W. Coleman to step aside from the country’s ongoing investigation into the approximately US$336 million cocaine seizures, following fresh allegations and questions raised by Liberian activist Martin K. N. Kollie about the police command structure and its handling of the drug probe.
Kollie, writing in a statement on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, said Liberia has reached a critical moment in its fight against drug trafficking and argued that the investigation must not spare current or former government officials who may have links to organized narcotics networks.
He said the government’s response to recent cocaine seizures should go beyond the arrest of low and mid-level suspects and focus on identifying and prosecuting individuals allegedly operating at higher levels.
“There should be no sacred cow in this national fight against drug traffickers and drug trafficking organizations,” Kollie wrote.
His latest allegations center initially on several vehicles he claims were acquired for the Liberia National Police outside the government’s normal procurement and budgetary processes.
Kollie alleged that three black sport utility vehicles valued at more than US$150,000 were purchased with cash provided to Inspector General Coleman and were not acquired through the government’s procurement system.
He further alleged that the vehicles were purchased in Minnesota, United States, by Jose Quintin Russell, whom he identified as an associate of Coleman and an employee working within the LNP’s fleet management structure.
Kollie claimed that one of the vehicles intended for Coleman was purchased for more than US$90,000.
The activist challenged Coleman to explain the source of the money used to purchase the vehicles, particularly because, according to his account, the funds did not originate from the government or the LNP budget.
Kollie also raised questions about Russell’s alleged private business interests, claiming that Russell owns a 40 percent stake in a vehicle maintenance and dealership operation in Congo Town that has, according to Kollie, handled maintenance or repair work involving LNP vehicles.
He said documents relating to the alleged business relationship had been made available as part of his effort to substantiate the claims.
However, the allegations have not been independently substantiated. While Kollie published documentary materials accompanying his claims, Smart News Liberia had not independently verified the documents or the allegations at the time of publication.
Kollie has nevertheless challenged Coleman to publicly respond to the allegations within 48 hours, saying he intends to release additional information and evidence.
Calls for Coleman to Step Aside
Beyond the vehicle allegations, Kollie’s principal demand is that Coleman withdraw from the investigation into the recent cocaine seizures because of what he describes as potential conflicts of interest and questions surrounding command responsibility.
He argued that Coleman should not continue overseeing an investigation involving members of the police command structure who have allegedly been implicated in the drug controversy.
The demand comes against the backdrop of the seizure of approximately 3,971 kilograms of suspected cocaine in Duazon, Margibi County, valued by authorities at roughly US$317 million, as well as an earlier seizure of approximately 237 kilograms at Roberts International Airport.
The two seizures have been valued at approximately US$336 million, triggering one of Liberia’s most significant public debates over drug trafficking, security-sector accountability and the integrity of ongoing investigations.
Kollie contends that the number of senior security personnel who have faced suspension, dismissal or investigation should prompt a broader examination of command structures within the LNP and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency.
Questions Over Former Police Commissioner
Kollie also revisited the case of former LNP Commissioner for Criminal Investigation, Intelligence and INTERPOL Johnny Bolar Dean, who was removed from his position after allegations that he accepted US$10,000 in connection with the drug investigation.
Kollie alleged that the amount acknowledged by Dean does not represent the full extent of alleged financial support received from individuals connected to the drug trade.
He further claimed that Dean’s residential construction project in New Georgia was financed, in part, through funds allegedly linked to the narcotics network.
Those allegations have not been independently substantiated, and Kollie said he intends to release photographs and other material that he believes will support his claims.
He also questioned why Coleman should escape responsibility for the conduct of senior officials who served under his command.
Kollie pointed to Coleman’s previous decision to bring Dean back into the police service after Dean had reportedly been dismissed in 2015 following allegations involving assistance to armed robbery suspects while serving in the Anti-Robbery Unit.
The activist argued that the history creates questions about Coleman’s leadership decisions and whether command responsibility is being adequately considered in the ongoing investigations.
LNP Leadership Faces Wider Questions
Kollie also questioned the circumstances surrounding the deployment of Highway Patrol Commander Waddell W. Kwarbo in connection with the movement of the vehicle carrying the cocaine seized in Duazon.
He argued that the involvement of multiple senior police officers in circumstances surrounding the drug shipment should prompt investigators to examine the chain of command rather than focus exclusively on individual officers.
His central argument is that responsibility within a security institution cannot be separated from the decisions and actions of senior commanders.
Kollie further alleged that the narcotics network has penetrated elements of Liberia’s security apparatus, particularly the LNP and LDEA.
He described the alleged infiltration as a national security threat that requires an investigation independent of the institutions whose personnel and operations may themselves come under examination.
Demands Independent Investigation
Kollie is therefore calling for Coleman to step aside from all aspects of the approximately US$336 million cocaine investigation pending an independent examination of the allegations against him and members of the security institutions under his command.
He said the investigation should determine whether there were financial, operational or personal relationships between security officials and individuals connected to the alleged drug trafficking network.
Kollie also called for the investigation to extend to current and former government officials, insisting that political affiliation should not determine who is investigated or prosecuted.
His intervention adds another layer to mounting demands for transparency surrounding Liberia’s handling of the cocaine cases.
The controversy has already raised questions about the chain of custody of the seized narcotics, the identities of individuals allegedly connected to the shipments, the role of security personnel and the independence of investigations.
Accountability Beyond Political Lines
Kollie framed the drug crisis as a national issue rather than a political contest.
He said Liberia must use the current investigations as an opportunity to dismantle organized drug trafficking networks and prevent the country’s security institutions from being compromised.
According to him, the ultimate objective should be to establish the truth about how the narcotics entered Liberia, who facilitated their movement, who financed the operations and whether officials within the security sector knowingly assisted the alleged network.
He maintained that any official found to have participated in or facilitated drug trafficking should be held accountable regardless of political connections.
“Liberians deserve the whole truth in this matter,” Kollie said, calling for transparency, accountability, impartiality and justice.
He also linked his campaign to the impact of drug abuse on Liberian families, particularly parents who have lost children to substance abuse.
Kollie said he intends to continue pursuing the issue until what he considers the full truth about Liberia’s drug trafficking networks and their alleged links to public officials is established.
The latest allegations, however, remain claims made by Kollie and should be subjected to independent verification and due process. Any person accused of criminal conduct is entitled to respond to the allegations and to the protections of Liberia’s legal system.
At the heart of the controversy is a question that extends beyond any single police officer or institution. Can Liberia conduct a credible investigation into a powerful drug trafficking network if allegations of institutional involvement reach into the very security structures responsible for investigating it?
For Kollie, the answer requires an investigation independent enough to examine everyone, including those at the highest levels of authority.
