AB Kromah details history with renowned drugs dealer

A special team from the LDEA arrested the defendants on February 21, 2024, after a search and seizure warrant was obtained from a magisterial court in New Kru Town.

By Lincoln G. Peters

Monrovia, October 9, 2024/Suspended Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) boss, Col. Abraham Kromah, has told an open court that he had known renowned drug dealer George Obi, alias Original Japan, before his recent arrest.

Col. Kromah, who continued his testimony on Tuesday, October 8, as a subpoenaed witness, said before becoming head of the LDEA, he knew Obi as a vehicle repairer who sometimes worked on his vehicle.

However, Col. Kromah said that when he ascended to the LDEA as its Director General, his intelligence gathering led him to discover that Obi was not just a vehicle repairer but also an alleged drug dealer. He said state securities and ordinary citizens corroborated this information.

According to his testimony, he usually used drug users and suspected drug peddlers to gather information about suspected drug dealers and suppliers. He said this led the LDEA to Obi’s doorsteps along the Japan Freeway.

The Resident Judge of Criminal Court C” A. Blamo Dixon recently issued a Writ of Subpoena Decu Tecum and Ad Testificandum on the Liberian Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) suspended Director General on Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

Judge Dixon’s decision was triggered by a motion made by one of the defense lawyers requesting that Mr. Kromah appear before the court on Friday, October 4, 2024, to testify on behalf of the defendants.

The value of drugs, according to the LDEA investigation, is put at the total sum of US$31,625 or its equivalent of LD$6,077,370.00.

According to them, the defense lawyers’ request is to have Col. Kromah produce evidence regarding the case and his role for and on behalf of the defendants.

In the same manner, the court also subpoenaed the acting LDEA Officer in Charge, Christopher Peter, to appear along with CCTV footage taken from the home defendant Obi.

During his testimony on Tuesday, defense lawyers questioned his relationship with the suspect and when he got to know that the suspect was dealing drugs.

The suspended LDEA boss replied: “I had no clue about that until becoming a Director of LDEA, and that’s how state securities and other people told me. So, I was shocked when people told me about him being a peddler. So, as an experienced law enforcement practitioner, I did not hold it against Japan.”

“Obi has been in the community doing spare parts business on cars,” Col. Kromah continued, “he’s expensive and never gave a discount to me as his customer, so to find out that he was dealing drugs became very confusing to me when I took over as the LDEA Boss.”

Recently, Japan on the witness stand, accused Col. Kromah of owing him (George Obi) US$2,700 and has since refused to pay after making several promises. He narrated that Col. Kromah, serving as LDEA Boss, led a search and seizure warrant to his house and planted drugs in his compound because of his (Col. Kromah) indebtedness to him.

But the suspended LDEA boss, in his testimony, denied the suspect’s claim, saying he doesn’t owe Japan any money.

“First of all, I don’t owe Japan (Obi). I owed Obi zero cents; there is no way Japan (Obi) would allow me to owe him such money because Obi doesn’t allow his customers to credit his spare parts. If he did, he immediately sent his boys to you to pay his money. Even if it’s five cents, you will pay.”

Background: On February 21, 2024, the LDEA’s special team was sent to the defendants’ homes via a Search and Seizure Warrant and a Writ of Arrest from the New Kru Town St. Paul Bridge Magisterial Court.

The accused were arrested with Kush, 800g; heroin, 133.5g; Marijuana, 500g; and Tramadol, 16.6g, totaling 1,450.1g.

The LDEA discovered the drugs in Saryon Town, Logan Town, on Bushrod Island.

The value of drugs, according to the LDEA investigation, is put at US$31,625 or its equivalent of LD$6,077,370.00.

Following the arrest, the Grand Jury of Montserrado County indicted George Obi, Peter Mamah, Edwin Ozioko, Ndubuis Okornkwo, Igwe David, Sunday Udeh, Shelly, Shelton, Evan Jamo, China Ekwa, Edwin Ozioko, and Bridgestone Harris, among others, to be identified.

Defendant Obi and others were charged with the crimes of unlawful maintenance and distribution of controlled drugs or substances, unlicensed sale and distribution of controlled drugs or substances, and criminal conspiracy.

The indictment said the defendants, being in the know of the harmfulness of these drugs to the growth and development of the country, went on to sell them.

However, the Grand Jury said that the defendants had the intent to pollute Liberia’s youthful population, and they began to purposely, knowingly, wilfully, and intentionally transport, distribute, and sell these drugs at the detriment of Liberian society. – Edited by Othello B. Garblah.