Liberia: Ex-LNP Crime Chief Charged in US$10K Bribery Case

MONROVIA — Former Liberia National Police (LNP) Crime Services Commissioner Johnny Bolar Dean has been charged and forwarded to court for allegedly accepting US$10,000 to interfere with an investigation linked to Liberia's US$317 million drug trafficking case. Dean faces charges of criminal conspiracy, bribery, tampering with a criminal investigation and obstruction of government functions by a public servant, according to a police charge sheet dated September 1, 2026. Police allege that Dean received US$10,000 from Stephanie Fefe Mensah while individuals identified as Edison Brown and Alpha Bah were under investigation in connection with the major drug case. According to the charge sheet, Mensah allegedly referred to Brown as her "boss-man." Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Investigators allege that Dean used his position as head of the Crime Services Department to interfere with the investigation, disclose confidential information and frustrate aspects of the probe. Dean reportedly admitted receiving the US$10,000 from Mensah but denied that it was a bribe, telling investigators that she had given him the money for safekeeping. He also reportedly described Mensah as his lover. Police investigators rejected Dean's explanation, alleging that the money constituted an improper benefit connected to his official duties and the criminal investigation. The US$10,000 was subsequently recovered from Dean, according to the charge sheet. The criminal case followed an administrative investigation by the LNP Professional Standards Division into Dean's alleged conduct. Following that inquiry, Dean and Mensah were turned over to the Crime Services Department on August 18 for further investigation. A Special Investigative Team headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Harold T. Jones subsequently conducted the criminal investigation that resulted in the charges. Police accuse Dean of abusing his authority as a senior law enforcement official by allegedly interfering with an active criminal investigation and compromising the integrity of the investigative process. Dean has since been forwarded to court for judicial proceedings. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai dismissed the former senior police official on July 31 after reviewing findings submitted by relevant authorities amid investigations into the US$317 million drug case. At the time, the Executive Mansion said the action was part of efforts to strengthen accountability, uphold the rule of law and promote integrity within Liberia's security institutions. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Dean has not been convicted of the charges against him and remains presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of competent jurisdiction. Read the original article on New Dawn . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa - aggregating, producing and distributing 600 news and information items daily from over 90 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC. Get th