Monrovia – the Drugs Enforcement Agency (DEA) is expected to answer to an action of damages for wrong for wrongly searching a home of a man identified as Emmanuel Innocent.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
Innocent is originally is a Nigerian but naturalized as a Liberian.
Innocent said the DEA seized his passport after the alleged illegal search of his home on July 12 this year.
“On July 12, at 4:00am the DEA led by Wolo Dee, Buster Jolon, Abraham Paye, Vivian, Perry to be identified, burst into my apartment, used an unreasonable force by bursting the doors to gain entry.”
“I was restrained and handcuffed and kept on the floor while several items including cash were taken from me,” he narrated.
Innocent named L$350.000.00, Naira 47,000.00 US$600.00, one wrist watch valued at US$85.00, one gold wedding ring valued at US$2,400.00 (40 gram) two cellphones, six pieces of hand hair dryers valued at US$120.00, clippers for hair valued at US$20.00.
He also named fire extinguisher valued at US$50.00, Back bag valued at US $20.00, wallet containing driver license, voter’s card and call cards.
The first defendant is DEA while the second is Jolon, Paye, Vivian, and Perry of the DEA.
In Count 5 of the complaint, Innocent said the second defendant who broke into his apartment under the guise that they were from the DEA didn’t serve him with any search warrant “all in an attempt to take away my money and properties and to expose me to public ridicule and disgrace.”
“The entire exercise of the illegal action by the defendants at my premises, they created the impression that I was a drug dealer and I continued to tell them that my only business in Liberia was cosmetics and human hair products.”
“I was ignored by the 2nd defendants who were done in the presence of many residents who are preparing to testify on the illegal search and seizure,” Innocent said.
He indicated in Count 9 that the destruction of his house and door as well as disorganization of his entire household was done accordingly by the 2nd defendants who entered his home to loot acting the disguise of search for illegal substances and planted into his home purported substance calling it drugs.
“The substance was concealed in the various pockets and socks of some of the DEA officers and was thrown in some parts of my rooms in order to falsely incriminate me for the sole purpose of looting my properties.”