Margibi County— A 12-member jury sitting during the August Term of Court at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Margibi County has returned a unanimous guilty verdict against former Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) commander Joe Logan, his deputy Lovette Flowers, and Nigerian national Tony Obi in connection with the Quita Dolo Kosso drug case.
By Yawah Y. Jaivey
The jury delivered its verdict late Monday evening, finding the three defendants guilty of multiple offenses, including unlicensed possession of controlled substances, unlicensed importation of controlled drugs, criminal facilitation, forgery, misapplication of entrusted property, theft of property, criminal conspiracy, illicit trafficking, and unlicensed sale and distribution of controlled drugs or substances.
The defendants were among several individuals indicted in connection with allegations surrounding the seizure, possession, alleged removal, trafficking and attempted sale of cocaine seized at Roberts International Airport.
The case dates back to July 12, 2025, when Quita Dolo Kosso was arrested at Roberts International Airport after arriving in Liberia from Thailand aboard Kenya Airways with a quantity of cocaine.
A central issue during the trial was the number of cocaine plates allegedly seized from Kosso.
The prosecution maintained that 14 plates of cocaine were seized, but that four of the plates were subsequently removed, sold and the proceeds shared among some of the accused officers.
The defense strongly disputed that account, arguing that the contemporaneous records and evidence from the initial investigation consistently showed that only 10 plates were seized.
The defense also challenged the credibility of key prosecution witness Mankarpoe Duo, a former LDEA officer, whose testimony was central to the State’s allegations concerning the alleged removal of four plates and subsequent sharing of proceeds.
Duo testified that Logan instructed him and others to alter the records from 14 plates to 10 and that four plates were removed. The defense, however, pointed out that Duo had previously given statements indicating that only 10 plates were seized and had acknowledged during trial that some of his earlier statements were false.
The defense further argued that the alleged four missing plates were never produced, weighed or independently tested in court.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, presented evidence intended to establish that the defendants participated in a scheme involving the cocaine seizure and an alleged US$10,000 payment connected to efforts to secure Kosso’s release.
Logan denied ordering the alteration of records or the removal of cocaine, maintaining that the US$10,000 was part of a sting operation intended to identify individuals attempting to bribe LDEA officers.
Flowers also denied participating in any scheme to remove cocaine, while Obi maintained that he was merely carrying money to the airport at the request of a friend and did not know its alleged purpose.
Despite the defense’s arguments challenging the prosecution’s evidence and the credibility of its witnesses, the jury unanimously found Logan, Flowers and Obi guilty on the charges submitted for their determination.
The court is expected to proceed with the next stage of the case, including sentencing, in accordance with Liberian law.
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