Gbarnga, Bong County – June 25, 2026 – The Liberia National Police (LNP) has suspended the Chief of Operations at the Bong County Police Headquarters, Superintendent Chris N. Gono, for one month without pay for neglect of duty in connection with the death of a detainee, Charles Kollie.
According to an official communication dated June 18, 2026, and signed by the Head of the Human Resource Management Division of the Liberia National Police, Superintendent Gono was found liable for failing to ensure that Charles Kollie, who was being held in police custody, received urgent medical treatment.
The suspension, which took effect on June 18, 2026, was imposed under provisions of the LNP Administrative Instructions on Discipline and Professional Standards, specifically Section 6.5(e) on “Unsatisfactory Conduct” and Section 6.5(f) on “Unsatisfactory Performance.” The disciplinary measure will affect Gono’s July 2026 salary.
The LNP administration also instructed the suspended officer to surrender all government-issued property, including badges, uniforms, identification cards, and boots, to the Human Resource Management Division while the disciplinary action remains in effect. He was further directed to refrain from identifying himself as a member of the Liberia National Police during the suspension period.
The letter informed Superintendent Gono of his right to appeal or challenge the findings of the investigation within six weeks in accordance with Section 4.1 of the Administrative Instructions on Discipline and Professional Standards.
Following receipt of the suspension letter, Superintendent Gono publicly accepted responsibility for his actions in a statement posted on Facebook.
Addressing members of the public, security agencies, county authorities, traditional and religious leaders, and the family of the late Charles Kollie, Gono apologized for what he described as his “unsatisfactory conduct or supervision.”
“I strongly feel guilty and regret not ensuring the immediate or urgent medical attention of the late Charles Kollie while under police custody,” Gono wrote. “May his soul rest in perfect peace.”
Providing details about the incident, Gono explained that he was preparing to respond to a traffic accident at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) when he was informed that a detainee had defecated on himself inside a police holding cell.
According to him, instead of personally ensuring that the detainee received urgent medical attention, he delegated the matter to subordinate officers and proceeded to the accident scene. There, he assisted in transporting an injured accident victim to Phebe Hospital for treatment.
However, Gono admitted that after returning to the police headquarters, he failed to follow up on the detainee’s condition.
“Upon my return at the Police Headquarters, I forgot to do what we referred to as ‘follow through’ by entering the holding cells to ensure that the instructions given were properly handled,” he stated. “Rather, I left for home early the next morning to have some rest.”
He thanked the leadership of the Liberia National Police for enforcing disciplinary measures against him and acknowledged that he bears responsibility for the oversight.
Gono further informed the public that, effective upon receipt of the suspension letter on June 24, 2026, he is no longer performing any official police duties and should be regarded as a private citizen until the completion of his one-month suspension and formal reinstatement by the LNP.
The suspension comes amid growing public attention surrounding the circumstances that led to the death of Charles Kollie while in police custody, a case that has generated calls for accountability within Liberia’s law enforcement sector.
