A Liberia man known on Facebook as Kuku Pushu, a resident of Paynesville, has accused officers of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) of violently detaining him and parading him across multiple communities after allegedly mistaking him for a major drug dealer.
According to Pushu, the incident occurred Tuesday while he was walking along Front Street in central Monrovia. He claims that six LDEA vehicles, one jeep and five pickups, suddenly surrounded him before several officers rushed him, accusing him of being “the biggest drug dealer in the Front Street community.”
He said attempts to explain his identity and where he had traveled from, Paynesville’s Jacob Town and Peace Island, were ignored.
“In no time they started beating on me and handcuffed me,” he alleged. “They seized my two phones, stopped me from making or receiving calls, and threw me at the back of one of their pickups in the middle of the real drug dealers.”
The man said he was transported around multiple ghettos across Montserrado County for nearly five hours, handcuffed and displayed publicly while people took photos and videos of him under the belief that he was connected to narcotics activity. He insists that officers found no drugs or illegal substances in his possession.
He further alleged that instead of being taken to the LDEA headquarters for investigation, he was later dropped off “deep inside Barnersville Kebba,” an area where he said he knew no one. He was eventually assisted by residents who helped him find his way back to the main road and return to central Monrovia.
“I’m currently feeling internal pain,” he stated, adding that the humiliation from the images and videos taken during the ordeal has caused additional distress.
“I can still recognize a few of those LDEA officers’ faces. I wish somebody can help me push for justice.”
The allegations, if confirmed, raise serious concerns about excessive force, due process violations, and the conduct of officers engaged in anti-drug patrols. The LDEA has not yet issued a response to the claims.
Human rights observers note that Liberia’s security agencies continue to face criticism over allegations of arbitrary arrest, profiling, and unlawful use of force, issues that advocates say must be addressed through stronger accountability mechanisms.
Authorities are yet to announce an investigation into the matter.
