Monrovia, Liberia – Abraham Kromah, the suspended Director General of the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), has testified as a defense subpoenaed witness in the ongoing high-profile drug trafficking case involving a notorious drug dealer known as George Obi, alias ‘Japan.’
During his testimony on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, Col. Abraham Kromah denied all allegations made against him by the defendants.
Defendant George Obi, alias ‘Japan,’ accused the suspended LDEA boss of owing him US$2,500.00 for spare parts.
According to defendant Obi, he had made several attempts to get Col. Kromah to pay him this debt, but to no avail.
The defense counsels argued that the alleged debt owed by Col. Kromah was something that prompted Obi’s arrest by the LDEA.
Although the suspended LDEA boss admitted to conducting business with the defendant prior to his (Kromah’s) ascension to the Director General position, he denied ever owing him a dime.
“The guy is a businessman. Even before I became the boss of the LDEA and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Obi presented himself as a clean businessman,” Kromah highlighted.
Kromah, in his testimony while serving as a defense subpoenaed witness, disclosed that he did not know whether George Obi, alias ‘Japan,’ was a notorious drug dealer operating a drug plant on Bushord Island.
The subpoena, issued by Resident Judge Blamo Dixon, commanded Kromah to appear in court on Friday, October 4.
The court’s decision followed a motion by defense attorneys who argued that Kromah’s testimony was crucial to understanding his involvement with the defendants.
“The suspended director of the LDEA is ordered to appear this Friday to provide evidence regarding his role on behalf of the defendants,” the defense lawyers stated.
George Obi, alias ‘Japan,’ along with Peter Mamah, Edwin Ozioko, Ndubuisi Okonkwo, Igwe David, Sunday Udeh, and several others, were indicted by the Montserrado County grand jury on multiple charges.
These include the unlawful maintenance and distribution of controlled substances, the unlicensed sale and distribution of controlled drugs, and criminal conspiracy.
The defendants are accused of orchestrating a network designed to distribute harmful drugs, targeting Liberia’s youth.
They were apprehended during a coordinated raid by the LDEA on February 21, 2024, following the issuance of search and seizure warrants.
During the operation, authorities confiscated substantial quantities of drugs, including 800 grams of Kush, 133.5 grams of heroin, 500 grams of marijuana, and 16.6 grams of Tramadol, totaling 1,450.1 grams.
The LDEA estimates the street value of the seized drugs at approximately $31,625, or its equivalent in Liberian dollars, LD$6,077,370.00 (US$31,466.96).
The indictment claims that the defendants were fully aware of the drugs’ detrimental impact on the country’s development and societal health, yet they continued to actively engage in their distribution, significantly undermining Liberia’s societal fabric.
A few minutes following his testimony on Tuesday, a group of women besieged the entrance of Criminal Court ‘C’ to thank Mr. Kromah for his fight against drugs in the country.
According to a lady identified as Ruth (a pseudonym), she thanked the suspended LDEA boss for his numerous contributions in the fight against drugs and called on President Boakai to reinstate him.
“Mr. Kromah, we want to say thank you for your effort in fighting drugs. We send our children to school so that they can help us tomorrow, but after graduation, they follow drugs. Our children are not living in graveyards. We’re calling on President Boakai to bring you back,” she stated while expressing her support.
According to the suspended LDEA boss, he did not know whether Mr. Obi was a notorious drug dealer, noting that he did not have the privilege of state intelligence to know whether Obi was trading drugs.
Kromah said the crackdown on Obi was not in any way a malicious act against him.
“Prior to becoming the LDEA boss, I didn’t have the privilege of state intelligence. When I obtained access to state intelligence, I was shocked to find out that Obi was a notorious drug dealer controlling a drug plant,” he asserted.
