Following a trial jury’s stunning acquittal of four drug traffickers connected to a 100 million dollar shipment of cocaine, Liberian officials revealed on Monday that they had completely lost track of them. In October 2022, Liberian security personnel, with help from the US and Brazil, recovered a shipment of cocaine.
According to Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean Jr., the four men—a Liberian, a Portuguese, a Lebanese, and a citizen of Guinea-Bissau were apprehended while attempting to claim possession of the 520 kilogrammes of cocaine that had been trafficked from Brazil.
It was hailed as one of Liberia’s greatest victories over drug traffickers.
However, a Monrovia jury declared them not guilty on May 18, and the court ordered that the $200,000 in cash that had been seized from them be restored.
After being released by the court, the four immediately fled, according to Musa Dean.
“They can’t be found. We don’t know where they are. They have fled,” Information Minister Ledgerhood Rennie told AFP.
The case sparked debate on social media regarding the merits of a people’s jury in the country of West Africa.
The justice minister issued a warning that the decision would jeopardise Liberia’s and an international coalition’s efforts to combat the illicit drug trade.
“The courts must be ready to act in conformity with the laws and the gravity of the breach of our laws,” said Musa Dean.
“The accused were caught red-handed attempting to take ownership of the container holding the illicit drug by attempting to bribe the businessman housing the container,” he said.
“Yet the court, through the … a 12-man jury said such brazen evidence didn’t warrant a guilty verdict.
“What more can the joint security and the Justice Ministry do to convince the court that the law was broken,” he pleaded.
“These kinds of verdicts only lend credence to the widely held international and local perception that the judiciary, namely the courts, are inherently compromised,” said the minister.
“The ruling has also brought Liberia to international ridicule”.
cc: Punch Ng
