By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA – Wadell W. Kwabo, the former Chief of the Highway Patrol Section of the Liberia National Police (LNP), has filed a motion seeking bail in connection with his alleged involvement in Liberia’s largest-ever cocaine trafficking scandal.
Kwabo, who was stripped of his duties following the investigation, was arrested and formally charged alongside Anthony T. Blaye, Chief of the Financial Crime Division, for allegedly using marked police cruisers to physically escort a massive cocaine shipment. According to a joint Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and LNP investigation, the contraband was moved from its coastal landing site to a stash house in a two-vehicle police formation, with one escort running in front and one in the back to ensure safe passage .
Police Inspector General Gregory O. W. Coleman disclosed that investigators uncovered evidence showing state security personnel played a key role in transporting narcotics from the landing site to a holding location . The investigation traced back to an operation where a Serbian national and other foreign operatives smuggled narcotics into Liberia via aircraft, utilizing private airfields and shoreline landings.
The multi-million dollar haul of seized cocaine—valued at approximately $317 million—was publicly incinerated by Liberian authorities on July 30, marking the country’s largest-ever drug destruction ceremony . Authorities burned approximately 4.2 metric tons of cocaine in a public display intended to send “a clear message” that Liberia is no longer “a place of comfort” for drug traffickers .
Kwabo, through his legal counsel, has filed a motion before the Criminal Assizes “C” of the Temple of Justice, arguing that “proof is not evident and presumption is not great” against him. His defense contends that he is being held solely on the allegation that he provided “escort” to the principal defendants after the alleged commission of the crimes.
The motion, filed by Cllr. Sayma Syrnius Cephus and associated counsel, argues that there is no objective evidence linking Kwabo to the crimes, and that the prosecution has produced no specific, articulable facts placing him at the crime scene before or during the commission of the alleged offenses. The defense further asserts that the allegations stem from co-defendant Christian Nyantee, who is allegedly seeking to exonerate himself, and notes that uncorroborated accomplice testimony is insufficient to establish “proof is evident and presumption is great” under Liberian law.
The case marks the first time serving, high-ranking Liberian police commanders have been criminally charged for physically transporting cartel drugs, rather than simply turning a blind eye. As a result of the Joint National Security Investigative Task Force probe, President Joseph Boakai ordered the dismissal of Kwabo and Blaye, along with the suspension of several other security and airport officials .
Kwabo’s defense maintains that he had no prior knowledge of the defendants’ plans and that providing security escort is part of routine security services often provided to members of the National Security Agency in cases of major security operations. The motion further argues that the allegations fail to meet the “reasonable ground to believe” standard required for continued detention. The court has yet to rule on the bail motion as the case continues to unfold.
