Verdict Given After Month-Long Trial At 13th Judicial Circuit Court In Margibi County
PHOTO: Two LDEA Senior officers and the Nigerian national leaving the court after being found guilty of drug trafficking
By Abraham K. Kollie, kollieabraham23@gmail.com
KAKATA, Liberia- A 12-member jury panel at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court here in Margibi has returned a guilty verdict against two senior officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and a Nigerian national for their involvement in a major drug trafficking scheme valued at US$181,008 and LD$63,201,600.
The defendants just found guilty include Special Agent Joe Logan Senior LDEA Officer assigned at Roberts International Airport, Agent Lovette Flowers Senior Female LDEA officer assigned at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) and Tony Obi, Nigerian National.
The law provides penalties for specified offenses such as the unlicensed and unauthorized importation of controlled drugs or substances into the country. It termed the importation of controlled drugs, a felony of the first degree and punishable to a prison term of a minimum of ten years and not exceeding twenty years, consistent with provisions of the Penal Code Section 50.5 and 50.6. The offense shall be a grave offense and shall not be bailable.
How the case unfolded
According to court records, the case stems from the interception of drugs from Quita Dolo Kosso in July 2025. Kosso had arrived at the Roberts International Airport aboard a Kenyan Airways flight from Thailand.
The prosecution told jurors that Kosso and fellow LDEA officer Abdullah Sherrif were part of a drug syndicate. Both have already been convicted and sentenced Kosso to five years imprisonment and Sherrif to Two years.
State lawyers presented four witnesses during the month long trial.
Prosecutors alleged that out of 14 plates of Cocaine confiscated from the cartel, defendants Logan and Flowers took four plates and sold them on the black market.
The state further alleged that LDEA officers received US$10,000 in bribes* from the drug cartel to compromise the fight against narcotics.
“The last people who should be involved in drug crime are LDEA officers because they were trained to detect and fight it,” the prosecution told jurors.
“These officers conspired with their Nigerian counterpart, Tony Obi, in organized drug crime. We ask you to return a guilty verdict to serve as a deterrent to others.”
The Defense
Defense lawyers urged the jury to acquit, arguing the state failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
“There is reasonable doubt in the state’s case, and the law says once there is reasonable doubt, the defendants must be set free,” defense counsel argued.
They also pointed to a discrepancy, claiming the investigation established 10 plates of cocaine not 14, calling it a contradiction that should favor the defendants.
The verdict
After two hours of heated final argument, the jury rejected the defense and found all three defendants guilty on charges related to drug trafficking.
Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie is expected to sentence the convicted officers and the Nigerian national in the coming days.
The verdict has drawn wide attention across the security sector, with many calling it a critical test of accountability within Liberia’s anti-drug enforcement structure.