By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
MARYLAND COUNTY, Liberia, July 28, 2026 — Maryland County Senator J. Gbleh-bo Brown has denied allegations linking him to Liberia National Police Chief of Patrol Wadell Kwarbo, who is under investigation over allegations of escorting illegal drugs in Monrovia.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Senator Brown’s office dismissed claims made by Spoon Network Chief Executive Officer Stanton Witherspoon during a July 23 broadcast, describing them as “false, outrageous, and politically motivated.”
According to the statement, Witherspoon alleged that Senator Brown is Kwarbo’s father and attempted to connect the senator to the ongoing investigation involving the senior police officer.
The Senator’s Office said the allegations were made before the investigation had concluded and were intended to damage Brown’s reputation.
While confirming that Kwarbo is a close family member, the statement clarified that he is not Senator Brown’s biological son. Instead, it said Kwarbo is the younger brother of the senator’s wife.
The statement explained that Brown and his wife brought Kwarbo from Maryland County to Monrovia as a child, raised him, and supported his education and upbringing.
According to the office, Kwarbo later joined the Liberia National Police during the Security Sector Reform program under the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), years before Brown was elected to the Senate. It added that Kwarbo has lived independently with his own family for nearly two decades.
The Senator’s Office said Brown and his wife were saddened by the allegations against Kwarbo but reaffirmed their support for a full, impartial, and transparent investigation.
The statement also rejected any suggestion that Brown has ever been involved in drug-related activities, emphasizing his commitment to combating illegal drugs.
“The Senator has never engaged in the drug trade and will continue to do everything within his authority, as both a citizen and a lawmaker, to support efforts aimed at eradicating drugs from Liberian society,” the statement said.
Describing the country’s drug problem as a growing threat to national security, the office called on Liberians to unite in addressing the crisis and urged political actors to refrain from using the issue for partisan purposes.
The statement concluded by expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved through due process and reaffirmed the senator’s support for the rule of law.
