Monrovia – A commander of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), has alarmed over the involvement of a member of the 54th Legislature in the sale of illegal drugs.
Commander Martha Massaley, assigned at Gardnersville Township dropped the bombshell when she served as one of the panelists at a youth-led program marking the observance of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drugs Trafficking last Friday, June 25.
“I was sitting with them (LDEA colleagues) at the checkpoint and this Honorable Representative came,” she said, opting not to mention a name.
“I won’t call his name before I be held in contempt, and for security reasons. He came driving in his big car. And the female officer stopped the car and said ‘Sir, can I just look in that car. She did not know him, but I know him and some of my colleagues know him. And he said even if you search my car and see anything there, you can’t do anything about it. So, no need for you to search my car. So, she said yes Chief, but please give me the benefit of the doubt let me just look in the car. When she opened the car, see the bag of drugs, marijuana one bag, the cocaine parlor (powder) there, the heroin parlor (powder) there. when I saw it, I got up, in an attempt to approach him, already we had bitter blood… he pulled off the car.”
She noted that the lawmaker was not happy with the LDEA’s work because she arrested most of his men and agents and they are behind bars.
Speaking on the challenges grappling the LDEA in combating illicit drug trafficking in Liberia, the Commander told the audience, mostly students drawn from several high schools within Gardnersville that the war against illicit drug in Liberia was a tough task owing to the involvement of top VIPs like the unnamed lawmaker, the shielding of ghettos operators by community members and the compromised court system.
She said the LDEA’s operations are often jeopardized when informants from the court leaked out information obtained from a search and seizure warrant. She blamed the proliferation of ghettos in the communities due to the failure of community leaders to inform the LDEA about their existence in their areas. She made a rallying call on residents, including students, religious and community leaders to immediately inform the LDEA whenever they discovered the sale of illicit drugs in their communities.
“My people, your please join the LDEA to help clean Liberia. You can make it. Just give me a call. I hardly sleep, I just have few hours of sleep. Because when you asleep, me and my man are on the field trimming the entire community,” she urged.
“The war we are fighting against drugs is not an easy war. Because the war is with the enforcer, the community members, the elders and the youth. When you take the paper (search warrant) to the court, the drug dealers get people all to the court, ready to give them information about whether their names are on the search warrant or not.”
The event, held at the Liberia Dujar High School in Grass Field Community in Gardnersville Township was organized by the humanitarian and advocacy group, ‘Hope for Young people Inc’.
Other panelists who spoke at the program include Major General Prince C. Johnson, the Chief of staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia (spoke via zoom conference), Rep. Thomas A. Gushua II, District #5, Grand Bassa County, (via a proxy) Cllr. Lafayette B. Gould, Sr., Special Assistant to the Solicitor General of Liberia and Mr. Eddie D. Jarwolo, the Executive Director of NAYMOTE-Liberia.
Rep. George Beyan Samah (District #12, Montserrado County) also graced the occasion. In a brief remarks, he promised to work with his colleagues at the House to ensure the draft revised drug law is passed.
General Johnson, speaking on the security implications of drug addiction and how it can be addressed, called for a concerted effort to win the war on drugs.
Liberia is currently debating its draft revised drug law, which officials say when passed into law, will be a big boost to the country’s fight against illicit drugs.
Cllr. Gould called for the adoption of a right-based approach wherein drug use would be seen primarily as a public health issue and where law-enforcement initiatives would focus on high-level traffickers rather than small-scale dealers.
Although Liberia is not a major hub for drugs, dozens of young people have fallen prey to these illegal substances including cannabis or marijuana – including legal variations of such products that include recently popular delta 8 THC products from Area 52, which are unlike traditional drugs like cocaine and heroin. These strayed youths called zogos, are found across the streets and cemeteries of Monrovia and other major cities and towns in Liberia. Some turned to petit criminals, snatching away commuters’ traveling materials like handbags, wallets, mobile phones and every other thing they are able to get away with.
Cllr. Gould says the criminalization of drug use and possession, the lack of distinction between small-scale dealers and high-level traffickers, as well as the absence of any provisions prohibiting human rights violations are some of the hurdles in the fight against the menace in Liberia.
Note: This story has been updated to include Rep. George Beyan Samah’s appearance at the event, how Gen. Johnson spoke via a video conference and how Rep. Goshua of (District #5, Grand Bassa County) spoke through a proxy.