The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) faces accusations of theft by residents following a weekend’s raid in the Fiamah community, Sinkor, Monrovia, leaving unspecified cash and phones allegedly taken away by LDEA agents.
By: Kruah Thompson
Monrovia, Liberia, November 25, 2024 – Residents of Fiamah Market Junction in Sinkor, Monrovia, are accusing agents of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) of allegedly stealing their belongings during a raid on Saturday, November 23, 2024.
The raid took place around 7:45 p.m. when LDEA agents arrived in a white pickup truck, searching for a suspect known as “Shelving Stick.” Unable to locate the suspect, they arrested three individuals, identified only as Johnson, Samuel, and Buffon.
Eyewitnesses narrated that Buffon was arrested after responding to LDEA officers, who had asked him to leave the road.
When he replied that he was not standing in the road, it angered the agents. Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene as Buffon was punched and beaten by at least four officers.
His cries for help filled the air, but the assault continued unabated. One officer was overheard threatening, “What we’re doing now is nothing. When we get to the office, you’ll get more.”
Following the incident, a nearby resident, Lucky Boy Johnson, who had gone to check his ticket after a previous game between Barcelona and RC Celta, witnessed the events.
He told our reporter that he was standing in front of the PlayStation booth when LDEA agents entered and asked for “Shelving Stick.”
“They asked if anyone was ‘Shelving Stick,’ the person they were looking for. When no one confessed, they demanded we raise our hands,” Johnson explains.
He adds that the officers then searched all individuals in the area, confiscating phones, money, and other valuables. “The place has only one entry point, so there was no way to escape. They took money, phones, and belongings from everyone, who was present,” he says.
Another eyewitness pointed to a nearby hand pump, where he claimed Samuel was apprehended while washing his feet.
“The officers approached him and asked him to raise his hands. Knowing he had his market money with him, he refused. This led to the officers jumping on him and allegedly taking his bag, which contained cash and valuables. He was also taken into custody” Johnson continues.
However, Buffon’s arrest escalated the situation when his mother and sister followed the agents to their office, demanding his release. She recounted how an officer assured her that her son, along with the other detainee, would have been released the next morning.
The officers even showed her the bag and phones, promising they would be returned upon their release.
However, the incident has left a cloud of frustration over the Fiamah Market Junction community, with residents questioning the conduct of the LDEA officers and demanding answers.
“This is a complete injustice. It could never happen in other developed countries—arresting someone just for standing on the road and going as far as taking people’s phones and money. Where are we taking this country?” one resident remarked.
Meanwhile, attempts to obtain a response from the LDEA’s Public Affairs Department have so far yielded no substantial clarification. Despite posting an inquiry in the LDEA Media Team chat room, this paper received no response.
Residents are urging the government to ensure that law enforcement agents are held accountable for their actions. Editing by Jonathan Browne
