MONROVIA – Two correctional officers assigned at the Monrovia Central Prison have been formally charged and appeared before the Monrovia City Court on allegations of smuggling narcotics and contraband into the prison facility.
By Victoria G. Wesseh, [email protected]
Defendants Thomas Kiazolu and John Flomo were charged with Criminal Facilitation, Criminal Conspiracy, and Illegal Possession of Narcotic Substances/Controlled Drugs, in violation of Liberia’s penal laws. Following their court appearance, both men were remanded at the Monrovia Central Prison, pending trial.
According to police charge sheets, the two officers were allegedly involved in a recurring pattern of criminal activities that compromised the safety and operations of the prison facility.
The alleged acts include smuggling illegal substances to inmates and facilitating unauthorized communication for illicit transactions inside the prison walls.
On May 19, investigators say the two officers conspired to bring narcotic drugs into the prison. Defendant John Flomo is accused of regularly sneaking illegal substances into the compound and handing them over to inmate Habib Conteh, who allegedly sold the drugs to other prisoners.
The charge sheet further outlines that Habib Conteh knowingly received the drugs and acted as a distributor among fellow inmates, creating an underground market within the prison and encouraging other forms of illegal behavior that endangered prison security and the welfare of both inmates and staff.
Investigators further alleged that Thomas Kiazolu played a significant role by registering SIM cards under his name and distributing them to inmates to enable communication with external actors involved in criminal dealings.
These SIM cards reportedly allowed inmates to conduct illegal transactions, communicate freely with individuals outside the facility, and further perpetuate criminal operations from within the prison walls.
The investigation, conducted by the Special Investigation and Intelligence Unit of the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, claims that both officers benefitted financially from these transactions. The officers allegedly shared in the proceeds generated from drug sales and communication access provided to inmates, in direct violation of correctional regulations and national laws.
The court records state that the repeated actions of the two officers undermined prison operations and contributed to a rise in contraband smuggling, drug use, and related disciplinary issues within the facility.
The police stated that such illegal acts not only violate correctional procedures but also put the lives of inmates and prison staff at risk. “The act is in violation of the statute controlling respectively, and it is being criminal, illegal, and unlawful,” the court records state.