“Drugs are destroying our human resources. Based on the severity of the situation, we need capital punishment for drug importers and smugglers. Let’s get rid of them. The people that are taking drugs also have the right to live. The drug crisis is more than a civil war in Liberia. Our young people are dying on Centre Street and everywhere. It is a genocide. People who are bringing these things into our country should also die. They deserve the death penalty.” Hon. Prince Toles, Representative, District #8, Montserrado County
Montserrado County District 8 Representative Prince Toles has proposed death penalty for drug importers.
Representative Toles made the proposal amidst the proliferation of drugs in the country.
Toles raised concerns about the devastating impact of drug abuse on the country’s youth and future, arguing that harsher punishments are necessary to combat the growing crisis which poses security threat to Liberia.
He made the disclosure on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, during a press conference at his District Office.
Rep. Toles expressed deep frustration over the state of drug-related activities in Liberia and the way it has severely disrupted communities.
“Drugs are destroying our human resources. Based on the severity of the situation, we need capital punishment for drug importers and smugglers. Let’s get rid of them. The people that are taking drugs also have the right to live,” he emphasized.
According to the District 8 Lawmaker, the drug crisis is more than a civil war in Liberia.
He highlighted that the young people are dying on Centre Street and everywhere, stressing that it is a genocide.
“People who are bringing these things into our country should also die. They deserve the death penalty,” Rep. Toles recommended during a press conference.
Commenting further on the issues, Rep. Toles stated: “The issue about drugs in this country is very serious. Check the graveyards; the dead are not resting because the living won’t let them. These people could have been engineers or doctors,” Toles lamented.
Toles further argued that increasing the budget for the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) would not suffice, as the root cause of the problem lies with the drug importers.
“Increasing the DEA budget won’t help because there is no capital punishment. We need capital punishment for people who import a certain quantity of drugs because they are the ones ruining this country and our youths,” he said.
The lawmaker’s proposal sparked debate with Journalists who were covering the event about his stance on human rights.
As Liberia grapples with rising cases of drug abuse and trafficking, Toles’ call for the death penalty marks a turning point in the nation’s ongoing discussion on how to address this pressing issue.
Toles’ suggestion, if enacted, would significantly alter Liberia’s judicial landscape, which currently does not implement capital punishment.
The proposal comes at a time when the country is under increasing pressure to tackle the drug crisis, with calls for both preventive measures and harsher consequences for traffickers.
