Liberia: VP Koung Staffer Arrested in Alleged Bribery Plot to Free Drug Suspect – VP Distances Himself, Backs Full Prosecution

Monrovia – Liberia’s intensified crackdown on illicit drugs took a dramatic turn this week after a staffer assigned to Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung was arrested for allegedly attempting to bribe officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) to release a detained drug suspect.

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By Willie N. Tokpah

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Clifford Payne, the Deputy Public Relations Director of the Group of 77, an institution comprised of people living with disabilities that is being supervised by the Vice President’s office, was caught on video allegedly attempting to offer cash to LDEA officers to secure the freedom of a drug suspect earlier detained with 1,511 rocks of Kush, with a street value of L$226,650.

According to LDEA sources, the suspect was immediately processed and forwarded to court early Monday morning. It was after officers began escorting the suspect through the legal procedures that Payne reportedly followed them and attempted to negotiate his release.

Payne was seized on the spot and transported in a national security pickup after the alleged failed bribery attempt. It was only during his arrest and subsequent identity verification that he disclosed his attachment to the Office of the Vice President.

LDEA Says “He Persisted That’s When He Was Arrested”

LDEA Deputy Officer-in-Charge for Operations, Patrick Kormazu, told FrontPageAfrica on Monday that Payne repeatedly insisted the suspect should be released.

“When he persisted that the suspect must be freed, that was when he was arrested and taken to the LDEA Headquarters for questioning,” Kormazu said.

He added that Payne is currently detained at the LDEA Headquarters and has been instructed to “send for his lawyer before a statement is taken from him,” after which he will be forwarded to the Liberia National Police for hindering law enforcement.

Kormazu emphasized, “The act of hindering the process, after attempting to bribe the officer for the suspect’s release, will be paid for through the LNP. Payne is still under the custody of the LDEA, awaiting his statement.”

Observers say if Payne is found guilty, his action would validate long-standing complaints by LDEA officers about interference “from the top,” which they say undermines their ability to effectively prosecute the war against narcotics.

The arrest has heightened concerns long voiced by drug-enforcement officers — that politically connected individuals frequently exert pressure to halt investigations or secure the release of suspects, undermining the government’s anti-narcotics campaign.

“This is exactly what officers have been complaining about — pressure from people close to power. They want suspects released, they want cases halted. And when we resist, we become targets,” an LDEA officer told FrontPageAfrica on condition of anonymity.

VP Koung Breaks Silence: “Anyone linked to me will face the law”

In response to the circulating video and growing public criticism, Vice President Koung issued a strongly worded statement Tuesday distancing himself from the arrested staffer and vowing that neither his office nor his family would shield wrongdoers.

“My attention has been drawn to a video circulating on the internet involving a staff of the Group of 77 and officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA). Let me state this with absolute clarity and without contradiction: Anyone, and I mean anyone, connected to me by whatsoever means, whether by blood, by marriage, by employment, or by friendship, who engages in drug-related activities will face the full weight of the law,” the Vice President said.

He continued: “Whether it is my wife, my children, my siblings, or anyone linked to my office, the law will take its course without hesitation and without interference!”

Koung’s response marks one of the strongest public statements by a sitting Vice President on allegations of drug-related corruption involving associates. His remarks mark one of the strongest public statements by a sitting Vice President on alleged drug-related corruption involving individuals close to high office. His statement comes at a time when Liberia is grappling with rising narcotics trafficking, increasing cocaine and Kush inflows, and mounting public pressure for accountability within government.

Yet, the reaction has not eased public concern.

Critics argue that the scandal highlights internal weaknesses in discipline and vetting within the Office of the Vice President. Others say the staffer’s alleged boldness reflects a broader pattern of entitlement among individuals who claim proximity to power.

The case also comes against the backdrop of an escalating drug crisis. According to the Global Action for Sustainable Development, Montserrado County alone hosts more than 1,500 ghettos—dens commonly used for drug consumption and gang recruitment. Of these, at least 866 are located within Monrovia. These hideouts, often found in abandoned buildings, under bridges, on beaches, and in other public spaces, are frequented by vulnerable youth known as “zogos,” who consume “kush,” a highly addictive synthetic blend laced with chemicals such as fentanyl and methamphetamine.

As President of the Senate, Koung is among key government leaders currently facing petitions from youth groups and civil society organizations demanding tougher drug laws and an end to political interference in narcotics enforcement.

Now, with one of his own staff members linked to an alleged bribery attempt, activists say the incident underscores exactly why their demands cannot be ignored.

Boakai’s Tough Talk vs. On-The-Ground Reality

President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has declared the drug epidemic a national emergency and pledged that no political figure or associate will obstruct justice.

Critics argue that Monday’s incident exposes the lingering gap between rhetoric and reality.

“This is exactly what officers have been complaining about,” a senior LDEA source told FrontPageAfrica. 

“We get pressure from people close to power. They want suspects released. And when we resist, we become targets.”

Group of 77, Payne Suspended With Immediate Effect

In a related development, the Group of 77, an institution under the statutory oversight of the Vice President’s Office, issued a formal statement clarifying Payne’s status.

The Group of 77 confirmed that Payne is indeed an employee of the institution, he serves as Deputy Public Relations Director and he has been suspended with immediate effect pending the outcome of the LDEA investigation

The institution emphasized that the Office of the Vice President exercises oversight over several national programs and insisted that it remains committed to accountability and ethical standards.

The Group of 77 urged the public to remain calm and avoid speculation until the competent authorities conclude their investigation.

A Drug War Undermined From Within

The Payne scandal deepens public concern that Liberia’s drug war is being compromised by internal influence networks and political pressure.

For years, LDEA officers have described their fight against drug cartels, local distributors, and cross-border traffickers as “a war without ammunition.” Monday’s arrest gives Liberians a vivid example of what they mean.

LDEA Under Pressure

Sources within the LDEA say cases involving individuals connected to high-ranking officials pose some of the toughest challenges for investigators.

“Every time we arrest someone with links to power, we expect phone calls, threats, or attempts at bribery,” one senior officer said. “This case is not new — the only difference is that it was caught on video.”

Now the public is watching not just to see whether Payne is charged and prosecuted, but whether the government will pursue a broader inquiry into the individuals and networks that repeatedly attempt to obstruct drug enforcement.

One anti-drug activist summed up the national sentiment:

“If this case dies, our drug fight dies with it.”