-Reject Calls for Release
By: Laymah Kollie
Monrovia – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has formally charged Jerry Nyantee Wrato with four cybercrime offenses over AI-generated images and videos targeting Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung, moving forward with prosecution days after the Vice President publicly called for the young man’s release.
In a letter dated September 21, 2026, addressed to Vice President Koung, Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman confirmed that the investigation into Wrato has concluded. The IG said the suspect will be charged with Misuse of Devices, Cyberstalking, Distribution of Data Messages That Incite Damage to Property or Violence, and Distribution of Harmful Data Messages — all alleged violations of the Cybercrime Act of 2025. Wrato is expected to be arraigned in court Tuesday morning.
The move comes despite the Vice President’s earlier appeal for leniency. In a statement posted to his page, Koung said he had received several calls about the arrest and had personally contacted Coleman, who confirmed the arrest was made under the Cybercrime Law. “I have made it clear that I have no desire to press charges against this young man, or anyone else, merely for creating or sharing such content about me,” Koung wrote, adding that “public office comes with criticism, ridicule and sometimes deliberate provocation” and that leadership “must also exercise tolerance, restraint and compassion.”
In his response, IG Coleman acknowledged the Vice President’s “compassionate position” but said the police could not treat the matter as a private dispute. “Once conduct potentially constituting a criminal offense comes to the attention of law enforcement, the matter is no longer determined solely by the personal wishes of the individual affected,” Coleman wrote, citing the LNP’s “statutory responsibility to investigate the allegations objectively.” He stressed that the charges do not amount to a determination of guilt, and that Wrato retains the presumption of innocence pending trial.
The arrest followed the circulation of a manipulated image purporting to show Koung undergoing unusual security screening at Brussels Airport, which fact-checkers at DUBAWA determined was AI-generated. Koung has denied the incident occurred as depicted.
