MONROVIA — The Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged the former head of its criminal investigations division with accepting a US$10,000 bribe to compromise a US$317 million drug trafficking case and has forwarded him to court. Johnny Bolar Dean, 40, who served as commissioner of the Crime Services Department (CSD), the unit responsible for handling […] The post Former Liberian Police Crime Chief Charged with Taking $10K to Compromise $317M Drug Case appeared first on Global News Network Libe
MONROVIA — The Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged the former head of its criminal investigations division with accepting a US$10,000 bribe to compromise a US$317 million drug trafficking case and has forwarded him to court.
Johnny Bolar Dean, 40, who served as commissioner of the Crime Services Department (CSD), the unit responsible for handling criminal investigations—was charged with criminal conspiracy, bribery, tampering with a criminal investigation, and obstruction of government functions by a public servant, according to a police charge sheet dated Sept. 1, 2026.
According to the charge sheet, Dean accepted the money from Stephanie Fefe Mensah while her “boss-man,” Edison Brown, along with Alpha Bah, were under active investigation by the National Joint Investigative Task Force.
Police noted that Dean admitted in a written statement to receiving the money from Mensah, but claimed it was given to him for safekeeping, describing Mensah as his lover. Investigators rejected his account, and police eventually retrieved the money from Dean.
Investigators further accuse Dean of informing Mensah of her superior’s arrest, leaking confidential investigative details, failing to perform his official duties, and leveraging his position to frustrate the inquiry. The charge sheet asserts that his conduct went far beyond a private financial transaction, amounting to a direct attempt to undermine government investigative operations.
The matter reached the CSD on Aug. 18, 2026, after Dean and Mensah were turned over following an administrative inquiry by the police Professional Standards Division, which found both individuals liable for conspiracy and bribery-related misconduct. A special investigative team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Harold T. Jones, was subsequently formed to conduct the criminal investigation that ultimately linked Dean to the funds.
The allegations against Dean have not yet been tested in court. He maintains the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The post Former Liberian Police Crime Chief Charged with Taking $10K to Compromise $317M Drug Case appeared first on Global News Network Liberia.
