The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has announced the immediate suspension of its Chief of Operations, Abraham O. Payne, following the release of a leaked audio recording that has sparked public outrage.
The tape, which surfaced earlier this week, allegedly captures Payne instructing a subordinate officer to free his daughter after she was reportedly arrested in a ghetto with others suspected of drug use. In the recording, Payne is further accused of threatening the officer when he resisted carrying out the order.
In a statement issued Tuesday, LDEA Director General Anthony K. Souh said the agency views the matter with the utmost seriousness. He confirmed that Payne has been suspended and turned over to the Board of Internal Inquiry and Professional Standards (BIIPS) for investigation.
“The LDEA frowns upon such alleged actions which, if proven, undermine the integrity of the Agency and compromise the fight against illicit drugs,” the statement read.
The agency also used the opportunity to remind the public of its zero-tolerance stance on corruption and misconduct, stressing that no officer, regardless of rank, will be shielded from accountability. Officials promised that the outcome of the investigation will be made public once concluded.
The suspension marks one of the most high-profile internal disciplinary actions taken by the LDEA in recent years, coming at a time when Liberia’s drug epidemic continues to pose a grave threat to the nation’s youth.
