By Sampson W. Weah
IPNEWS: The Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) has accused the Liberia National Police (LNP) and Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman of orchestrating what it describes as an assassination plot against former CDC National Chairman and STAND Lead Campaigner Mulbah K. Morlu Jr. during the July 17 STAND protest in Monrovia.
The allegations were contained in a statement issued by the CDC’s National Executive Committee and signed by its National Chairman, Atty. Janga A. Kowo.
The STAND protest, organized by the civil society movement STAND, drew thousands of Liberians to the streets of Monrovia. Organizers said the demonstration was intended to peacefully demand greater government accountability, stronger action against corruption, improved economic conditions, justice in the unresolved US$19 million drug case, and reforms in governance. The march attracted opposition political parties, civil society organizations, youth groups, and ordinary citizens who said they were exercising their constitutional right to peaceful assembly.
According to the CDC, an armed individual allegedly infiltrated the demonstration, posing a direct threat to Morlu and other participants. The party claimed the suspect was identified and disarmed by protesters before any harm could occur. However, the CDC did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation or publicly identify the individual.
The opposition party further alleged that, rather than investigating how the armed individual entered the protest, Inspector General Coleman ordered heavily armed riot police to surround Morlu’s residence and later directed his arrest after Morlu had voluntarily surrendered to a court sheriff.
The CDC argued that the sequence of events amounted to a coordinated operation aimed at eliminating Morlu rather than a legitimate law enforcement action. It further accused Inspector General Coleman of acting with the knowledge and backing of the Boakai-Koung administration. The party did not provide evidence to support these allegations.
The statement also linked the incident to what the CDC described as a broader pattern of intimidation against opposition figures. It referenced an incident involving Montserrado County District 9 Representative Frank Saah Foko Jr. in Wrotto Town on March 31, 2026, alleging that it represented another attempt to target an opposition leader.
Holding Inspector General Coleman personally responsible for Morlu’s safety while he remains in government custody, the CDC demanded Morlu’s immediate release, an independent investigation into the alleged infiltration of the STAND protest, and the immediate dismissal of Inspector General Coleman, along with any officials it alleges were involved in the operation.
The party also condemned what it described as police brutality against residents of the Battery Factory community along the Japan Freeway, accusing security forces of using excessive force against peaceful civilians while failing to aggressively combat illicit drug trafficking.
The Liberia National Police has previously maintained that its role during public demonstrations is to preserve law and order and protect lives and property. As of the time of publication, neither the LNP nor the Executive Mansion had publicly responded to the CDC’s latest allegations.
