MONROVIA – The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) is once again grappling with internal turmoil, following a formal letter sent by Deputy Director for Operations, Sebastian Farr, to Director General Anthony K. Souh.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
The letter, dated March 17, 2025, highlights a series of grave concerns about the behavior of two senior officers within the agency, intensifying the long-standing internal strife that has plagued the LDEA for years.
This latest tension comes at a time when the agency is still recovering from a scandal involving its former leadership.
Prior to Souh’s appointment as Director General by President Joseph Boakai on November 1, 2024, the LDEA had already been embroiled in significant internal conflict. The last major incident occurred when former Director General Abraham Kromah clashed violently with his then-Deputy for Operations, Hassan Fadiga.
Kromah accused Fadiga of gross insubordination and of publicly airing internal disputes on social media. The rift between the two reached a breaking point when Kromah revealed that Fadiga had allegedly brandished a weapon during an altercation, prompting the Director of Police to intervene. As tensions escalated, Fadiga, alongside Deputy Director General for Administration Gbawou Kowou, leveled serious allegations against Kromah, accusing him of shielding drug lords, hiring his tribal kinsmen, and bypassing established protocols.
The allegations led to the withdrawal of international support from the LDEA, including from the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
In response, President Boakai acted swiftly, suspending Kromah, Fadiga, and Kowou pending a thorough investigation. After several months of inquiry, all three were dismissed, and Souh was appointed to lead the agency.
However, despite the changes in leadership, the internal discord at the LDEA has not subsided. Farr, appointed almost a month after Souh, has raised fresh concerns in his letter, accusing two newly appointed senior officers, Abraham Okai Payne and Aaron Karzon, of engaging in unethical and unprofessional conduct that jeopardizes the agency’s credibility and effectiveness.
In the letter, Farr outlines troubling incidents he witnessed during his first few weeks in office. According to Farr, Payne and Karzon were involved in unauthorized and dangerous raids in and around Monrovia, putting junior officers at risk and causing damage to LDEA property.
These actions, he claims, were not only reckless but also led to extortion, with the officers allegedly collecting personal items — such as money and mobile phones — from suspects without proper documentation or reporting.
More concerning were the accusations of abuse of power. Farr alleged that Payne and Karzon used unregistered semi-automatic pistols during their operations, violating the LDEA’s use-of-force protocols.
He claimed that these weapons were used to intimidate and extort individuals suspected of drug-related crimes. Additionally, Farr accused the two officers of attempting to bribe him with $40,000 after a search and seizure operation in the Red-light Commercial District.
Farr also accused Payne and Karzon of breaching confidentiality. He alleged that they leaked an official LDEA Situation Report to a social media platform, further damaging his reputation. The officers were also accused of abusing their authority, with Farr specifically alleging that Payne had improperly released two suspects from LDEA custody without proper documentation or justification.
Despite Farr’s repeated warnings and directives to stop their actions, Payne and Karzon reportedly ignored his instructions, exacerbating the internal tension.
As a result, Farr expressed a loss of confidence in their ability to lead and collaborate effectively, calling for their immediate removal from their posts.
In his letter, Farr warned that allowing Payne and Karzon to remain in their roles would further tarnish the already damaged reputation of the LDEA. He emphasized that the agency’s primary focus should be its fight against illicit drugs and the restoration of public trust, not the personal interests or egos of its officers.
The accusations against Payne and Karzon have sparked widespread concern about the LDEA’s internal governance and its ability to fulfill its mission of combating drug-related crimes. As Farr’s letter continues to gain attention, the stability of the agency is increasingly in question.
Attempts to reach Payne and Karzon for comment have been unsuccessful, as their phones rang unanswered. Likewise, Director General Souh could not be reached for comment, with repeated attempts to contact him also failing.
The Ministry of Justice, under the leadership of Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, has been informed of the ongoing issues within the LDEA. While it remains unclear what steps the Ministry will take, further developments are expected in the coming days, FrontPageAfrica gathered.
Despite the turmoil, Farr reaffirmed his commitment to the agency’s core mission. In his letter, he expressed hope that the fight against illicit substances and the restoration of the LDEA’s integrity would remain the agency’s top priorities.
