Liberia: How U.S.$19.2m Ria Cocaine Case Could Collapse Before Trial
[Liberian Observer] The US$19.2 million cocaine indictment that the government hailed as one of Liberia's biggest drug busts of 2026 may likely face a potential total collapse in Criminal Court "C", with multiple senior lawyers warning that the charging instrument is riddled with forensic, procedural and constitutional defects that will not survive a Motion to Quash.
The US$19.2 million cocaine indictment against 11 Liberians, unveiled on August 27, 2026, may collapse before trial due to a multitude of forensic, procedural and constitutional flaws. The alleged seizure at Roberts International Airport (RIA) involves Paul J. King, General Manager of Global Logistics Services (GLS), and George Wah Harris, owner of the popular Private Bar Entertainment Center.
The charges encompass 7 counts under Liberia's Penal Code, including Unlicensed Possession of Controlled Drugs, Unlicensed Importation, Unlicensed Sale, Illicit Trafficking, Criminal Conspiracy, Criminal Facilitation, and Money Laundering. Forensic experts argue that the prosecution's case is built on speculative language, the absence of a lab certificate and chain of custody, and contradictory descriptions of the seized substance.
Moreover, the indictment mischaracterizes Private Bar Entertainment Center as a corporate defendant, which is legally invalid. Legal experts also question whether Paul King can be held responsible for the cocaine, given that the indictment does not prove his knowledge of the seized substance.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
