Greenville, Sinoe County, Liberia – The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) in Sinoe County is reeling from public backlash after its primary suspect in a high-profile narcotics case escaped custody, even as the man once paraded as a drug trafficker, Mr. Augustine Sumu, has been cleared of wrongdoing.
Weeks ago, the LDEA sparked outrage when agents marched Mr. Sumu through the premises of LDEA in BQ Community with a billboard labeling him a “drug suspect.” The move was widely condemned as an act of public humiliation, especially after Sumu insisted he had no knowledge of the narcotics allegedly hidden in his passenger’s belongings.
That passenger has now been identified as Ms. Matilda Dugbeh, also known as “Mama,” who investigators say carried seven plates of narcotics from Monrovia toward Greenville in Sumu’s vehicle. While she was placed under investigation at the LDEA headquarters, Dugbeh escaped under still-unclear circumstances ~ leaving behind deep embarrassment for the agency.
With Dugbeh now declared wanted, the LDEA has launched a county-wide manhunt and posted her photograph across Greenville and surrounding towns. But the public response has been scathing.
“If they could guard Sumu so tightly that they paraded him in public, how did the real suspect escape?” asked one resident during a community forum. Others argued that the agency’s mishandling of the case has eroded confidence in its ability to fight the drug trade fairly and effectively.
In the wake of these developments, Mr. Sumu has been fully exonerated, with no evidence linking him directly to the narcotics. Civil society groups and citizens alike are now calling on the LDEA to formally apologize to him for the damage caused to his reputation.
As the manhunt for Ms. Dugbeh intensifies, questions continue to mount over accountability within the LDEA and whether those responsible for her escape will themselves be investigated.
