Monrovia – The Monrovia City Court has found probable cause against Paul Jamaal King and six co-defendants in the high-profile US$19 million cocaine trafficking case, paving the way for a full trial before Criminal Court “C”.
The ruling, handed down Wednesday, concludes a preliminary examination requested by King through his legal team under Chapter 12 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law and marks a significant step in what prosecutors describe as one of the country’s largest international drug trafficking prosecutions.
King, along with Michael U.S. Brown, Rahim Bah, Ousman Ali, Oscar Brown, Emmanuel Kpeh and another defendant, faces multiple charges, including unlicensed exportation, importation, sale, trading and transportation of controlled substances, unlicensed possession of controlled drugs, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation and criminal solicitation. The charges are brought under several provisions of Liberia’s Penal Law and the Drug Law of 2023.
Prosecution Details Alleged Drug Network
During the preliminary examination, prosecutors called two key witnesses who outlined what investigators say was a coordinated effort to export 237.6 kilograms of cocaine through Roberts International Airport (RIA).
The government’s first witness, Col. Moses L. Meah, Chief Investigator of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), testified that investigators uncovered an international drug trafficking network allegedly responsible for attempting to ship cocaine valued at more than US$19 million.
According to Meah, the operation began on June 5 when King allegedly arranged for six boxes to be shipped from Liberia to England using fraudulent shipping declarations. The cargo was reportedly declared as containing Maggi cubes and lappa, but airport security screening later revealed suspicious images that prompted further inspection.
Meah testified that a physical examination of the shipment conducted on June 7 confirmed the presence of cocaine concealed inside the boxes.
Investigators alleged that King, identified in court as Operations Manager of Global Logistics Services, coordinated the shipment using falsified documentation and fictitious business entities.
According to Meah, King instructed Arthur Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Express Handling Services, to prepare an airway bill identifying a company known as “EM Van Group of Companies” as the shipper and naming Ousman Ali as consignee.
Shipment Allegedly Originated from King’s Residence
The prosecution further alleged that the six boxes originated from King’s residence before being transported to the airport.
Meah testified that Emmanuel Kpeh and other associates delivered the boxes to King’s residence, where King’s cook, Marie Gbardiah, allegedly received US$2,150 from Kpeh to facilitate processing of the shipment.
The witness told the court that statements obtained from Gbardiah and other individuals linked the cargo directly to King.
According to investigators, Gbardiah informed authorities that King instructed her to receive both the shipment and the cash payment and ensure the consignment reached the airport.
Alleged Effort to Retrieve Seized Cargo
Prosecutors also accused King of attempting to recover the shipment after it was intercepted by authorities.
Meah testified that King contacted Philip Young, a supervisor with GLS Menzies, and allegedly sought his assistance in negotiating with airport security personnel to secure the release of the cargo.
The investigator further alleged that King attempted to offer money to security officers in an effort to retrieve the shipment following its seizure.
Young later confirmed to investigators that King approached him after authorities intercepted the consignment, Meah told the court.
The prosecution also identified Michael U.S. Brown—who investigators alleged used the aliases Rahim Bah and Polo—as an active participant in the trafficking network. Meah testified that Brown had previously faced drug-related charges and had been imprisoned before being released under circumstances investigators described as questionable.
Police Witness Corroborates Testimony
The government’s second witness, Superintendent Joseph M. Kaiffa of the Liberia National Police Anti-Narcotics Unit, largely corroborated the testimony provided by the LDEA investigator.
Kaiffa testified that King directed the preparation of the airway bill and that the shipment originated from King’s residence.
He told the court that airport screening detected significant discrepancies between the cargo’s declared contents and its actual weight, prompting security officials to conduct a detailed inspection that uncovered the cocaine.
Kaiffa also supported allegations that King attempted to negotiate the release of the shipment after it had been confiscated.
Documentary Evidence Submitted
As part of its case, the prosecution introduced several documentary exhibits, including police charge sheets, airway bills, financial receipts, photographs of the seized cargo and samples of the narcotics allegedly recovered during the operation.
Defense lawyers challenged the prosecution’s case on multiple grounds, questioning investigative procedures, the handling and preservation of evidence, and the custody status of co-defendant Michael Brown. They also raised procedural objections and cited United States legal precedents relating to evidentiary standards and due process.
However, the court held that those authorities had limited applicability to Liberian criminal proceedings and did not undermine the prosecution’s evidence at the preliminary stage.
Court Finds Probable Cause
In its ruling, the court emphasized that a preliminary examination is not intended to determine guilt or innocence but rather whether sufficient evidence exists to justify a criminal trial.
Citing the Supreme Court’s decision in Wolo v. Republic of Liberia, 33 LLR 3 (1986), the court noted that probable cause requires only sufficient facts to lead a reasonable person to believe an accused may have committed the offense.
The court found that the testimonies of Meah and Kaiffa were consistent and substantially supported by documentary evidence, including airway bills, receipts, photographs and witness statements.
Based on that evidence, the court concluded that prosecutors established reasonable grounds to believe that King and his co-defendants participated in a coordinated effort to traffic approximately 237.6 kilograms of cocaine through Roberts International Airport.
The court subsequently ordered all defendants bound over to Criminal Court “C” to answer the charges under the Penal Law and the Drug Law of 2023 and directed the clerk of court to give immediate effect to the ruling.
The case now advances to trial, where prosecutors will be required to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.
