In January 2023, reports made rounds in the media and subsequently confirmed by state security actors that a catch of arms and ammunition had been arrested at the Freeport of Monrovia. Accusing fingers were pointed at the 39-year-old City Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Tamba Koijee, who was an influential member of former President George Weah’s inner circle. Koijee is now the Secretary General of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), which was shocking defeated by Unity Party’s Joseph Nyumah Boakai.
Initial investigation by the CDC-led Government pointed to a man identified as Boye Baker and his accomplices as masterminds behind the illegal importation of the arms. Immediately afterwards, insinuations inundated several quarters that authorities of the Liberia National Police (LNP) were arm-twisted to manipulate the “actual outcome” of the investigation, which was said would have exposed Koijee of being the owner of the container of arms.
However, on July 23, 2024, the new leadership of the Liberia National Police (LNP), headed by Col. Gregory O.W. Coleman, reopened the investigation and concluded that the outcome of the previous investigation was authentic and void of political influence.
Col. Coleman told a July 23, 2024 press conference that investigation into the January 6, 2023 arms arrest was reopened and concluded that Boyd Benjamin Baker is the suspect.
The alleged importers of the arms, according to the LNP boss, have been charged with multiple crimes in abstentia since they are residing in the United States. They were charged with criminal conspiracy, facilitation and smuggling.
Col. Coleman added that all the consignments of arms have been retrieved and are in the possession of the police. In effect, the police vindicated former Mayor Koijee of any connection with the illegal importation of arms as insinuated at the time of arrest. IG Coleman said the indictment has been sent to INTERPOL to arrest the suspects in the event they are seen anywhere in the world.
In response to the news that a second investigation has been concluded restating previous conclusion, the CDC Chief Scribe said, “Truth crushed to the ground will rise again no matter how long it takes. Those who feared us when we were given the chance to serve our country peddled lies against me that I brought arms into the country. Those shameless and irresponsible traditional liars have been rewarded with jobs in the Joseph Boakai-led administration.”
Koijee said, “Eugene Lamine Fahngon, who survives only in an environment where lies are cherished should be courageous enough to apologize to the Liberian people for deceiving them just to get a Director General job at the Liberia Broadcasting System.”
The CDC SG indicated that the police should also investigate circumstances that led to the death of citizens in Lofa during the election, including mobbed Solomon Joshua, Augustine Pennoh, Patrick Jarso, Caypae Doe, Josiah Saah Rayloe and Tamba Momoh, whom he said were allegedly killed by supporters of the Unity Party (UP), in order for the police to demonstrate their impartiality.
Koijee frowned on the “purported normalization of taking away the lives of ordinary Liberians, particularly the accident involving the motorcade of the President, which resulted into the death of two tricycle riders in the ELWA community on July 24, 2024”.
