By Staff Writer
IPNEWS: Liberia’s US$336 million narcotics scandal is widening into a deeper accountability crisis, with allegations and counter-allegations now raising questions about senior officials responsible for investigating and prosecuting the country’s biggest reported drug case.
The controversy follows two major narcotics seizures one valued at approximately US$317 million and another at US$19.2 million—bringing the reported total to about US$336.2 million.
The unprecedented scale of the seizures has intensified public scrutiny over how such a massive quantity of suspected cocaine entered Liberia, moved through the country and allegedly involved individuals connected to the security sector.
At the center of the growing debate are Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman and Justice Minister and Attorney General N. Oswald Tweh, whose institutions occupy critical positions in the investigation, prosecution and dismantling of suspected drug networks.
Activist Martin Kollie has publicly alleged that senior officials, including Coleman and Tweh, have connections to individuals linked to the suspected drug cartel.
The allegations have not been established in court, and both officials should be afforded the opportunity to respond and provide evidence addressing the claims.
One of the most serious allegations concerns five Toyota Land Cruiser 250 Series vehicles allegedly received by Inspector General Coleman from individuals purportedly connected to the drug network.
Mr. Kollie further alleges that one of those vehicles was subsequently assigned to Justice Minister Tweh and is being used under Government of Liberia plate O-13.
If such claims were substantiated, they would raise significant questions about potential conflicts of interest, particularly because the Liberia National Police and Ministry of Justice are central to the ongoing narcotics investigation.
The Justice Ministry, however, has categorically rejected the allegation, describing it as false and unsupported by the facts.
According to the ministry, the vehicle assigned to Minister Tweh was not a gift from a drug cartel or any private individual, but a government vehicle formally assigned through the Liberia National Police.
The ministry says it formally wrote Inspector General Coleman on November 10, 2025, requesting a suitable vehicle for the Justice Minister’s official use because the ministry had limited and aging vehicles and no budgetary allocation at the time for purchasing a new one.
According to the ministry, the LNP subsequently assigned a white Toyota Land Cruiser Prado bearing LNP identification GSA-LNP-03-14.
The vehicle was reportedly part of a government-procured fleet acquired from Dutch Health BV for the LNP, with the entire fleet valued at approximately US$1.5 million and including pickups, jeeps, motorcycles and ambulances.
The ministry maintains that the Prado remains government property and is used solely for the minister’s official duties.
It also argues that the vehicle could not reasonably be described as a personal gift from the Inspector General because the ministry itself had formally requested an official vehicle from the police.
But the conflicting accounts have left many Liberians asking a basic question, who is telling the truth—Martin Kollie or the Ministry of Justice?
The answer cannot be determined through social media exchanges, political statements or competing narratives.
It requires an independent examination of procurement records, vehicle ownership documents, government correspondence, fleet records and any financial transactions connected to the allegations.
The controversy has also been fueled by claims concerning former acting Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency Director Anthony Suah, who reportedly alleged that more senior officials were connected to the drug network.
Suah was subsequently removed from his position, prompting questions about whether his dismissal was connected to his statements.
However, there is currently no publicly established evidence proving that his removal was retaliation for making those allegations.
Another major question concerns the movement of the approximately US$317 million shipment.
Reports indicate that police vehicles were involved in escorting the shipment under the leadership of the Inspector General, while some officers associated with the broader investigation have reportedly been dismissed or placed under investigation.
An officer identified as Dean has also reportedly been accused of receiving money from individuals allegedly connected to the suspected cartel.
One version of the allegation places the amount at US$10,000, while another claim suggests that Dean personally received only US$2,000.
Neither allegation should be treated as established fact without supporting financial records, witness testimony and other credible evidence.
The conflicting claims expose a larger problem for the Boakai administration, how can the public maintain confidence in an investigation when allegations are being made against some of the very officials responsible for overseeing the fight against narcotics?
President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration now faces growing pressure to demonstrate that the drug investigation is based on evidence rather than political influence, personal relationships or selective enforcement.
The scale of the seizures demands that investigators follow the evidence wherever it leads whether toward ordinary suspects, police officers, businessmen or senior government officials.
The government should therefore consider an independent mechanism capable of examining allegations involving senior security and justice officials.
Such a process should examine the disputed vehicles, procurement records, financial transactions, alleged police escorts and reported payments to officers.
Most importantly, investigators must distinguish between verified evidence, witness allegations, political accusations and social media claims.
Failure to make that distinction risks damaging the credibility of an investigation that Liberia cannot afford to get wrong.
The Ministry of Justice says it will not be distracted by what it describes as unsubstantiated allegations and remains focused on dismantling criminal drug networks operating in Liberia.
That position, however, makes transparency even more important, institutions leading the fight against drugs must be prepared to submit themselves to the same scrutiny they demand from others.
With more than US$336 million in suspected narcotics reportedly seized and destroyed, Liberia is facing a defining test of institutional credibility.
The public deserves to know not only who is being arrested and prosecuted, but also whether every allegation involving people in positions of authority is being investigated fairly.
Until the competing allegations are independently investigated and either substantiated or disproved, no individual should be declared guilty based solely on public accusations.
At the same time, no official regardless of rank, political influence or institutional position should be considered beyond scrutiny.
The central question is no longer simply who was behind Liberia’s massive narcotics shipments.
It is whether the institutions entrusted with dismantling the drug networks can investigate themselves with the same determination they apply to everyone else.
