Monrovia, Liberia – August 26, 2025 – The Director General of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Hon. Anthony K. Souh, has suspended Chief of Operations Abraham O. Payne (U-704) following the emergence of an audio recording allegedly implicating him instructing the release of his daughter who was reportedly arrested in a ghetto. In the recording, Mr. Payne was allegedly heard ordering a junior officer to release his daughter immediately and further threatening the officer when he insisted on performing his duty.
The LDEA frowns upon such alleged actions which, if proven, undermine the integrity of the Agency and compromise the fight against illicit drugs. As such, Mr. Payne has been immediately suspended and referred to the Board of Internal Inquiry and Professional Standards (BIIPS) for a thorough investigation. The outcome of the investigation will be communicated to the public in due time.
The LDEA reiterates its zero-tolerance policy on unprofessional and unethical conduct and assures the public that no officer, regardless of position or rank is spared when caught in any unprofessional conduct.
