By: Naneka A. Hoffman
Monrovia, August 8, 2025: Family members of the late Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) officer, Emmanuel Payne, have protested in Caldwell, Montserrado County, demanding justice for his brutal murder by suspected drug addicts and criminals.
Speaking on Thursday, August 7, the protestors accused the government, particularly the LDEA, of doing little to investigate the killing of Officer Payne, who was reportedly attacked and murdered on July 22, 2025, in the Township of Caldwell.
Marcus Payne, elder brother of the deceased, said the family will not rest until justice is served.
“This situation is causing us serious embarrassment. The government keeps asking us to provide information about how our brother, son, and uncle was murdered, instead of conducting a thorough investigation”, he said.
According to him, the family has decided not to bury the late Emmanuel Payne until the government takes meaningful steps toward justice.
“This is unfortunate for the government to be asking us for information when it’s their duty to investigate,” Marcus emphasized.
Speaking in tears, Martha Payne, grieving mother of the deceased, described her son as both a provider and protector.
“Since my son died on July 22, 2025, not a single senior official has come to speak with me,” she lamented. “This silence hurts me deeply every day.”
Mrs. Payne announced that the family’s next round of protest will be at the LDEA Headquarters and the U.S. Embassy near Monrovia, in hope that their cries for justice will be heard.
She revealed that her son had once dropped out of the LDEA during the Weah Administration and turned to commercial motorcycling to survive but was re-enlisted into the LDEA earlier this year.
According to official reports, the incident occurred around 6:00 PM on July 22, along Benson Street in Caldwell. Officer Payne, who was assigned to the LDEA’s New Kru Town Detail, was reportedly off duty and visiting a friend from the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) when he noticed a man acting suspiciously and carrying a black plastic bag toward a known ghetto.
Relying on his instincts and training, he attempted to arrest the suspect.
However, the situation escalated when the suspect reportedly called for reinforcement from nearby gang members.
“In the line of duty, and as a trained drug enforcement officer, Officer Payne took action to intercept a suspected drug trafficker. In doing so, he was violently attacked by a growing mob,” the LDEA stated in a press release.
Witnesses said he fired two warning shots in an attempt to disperse the crowd. Despite identifying himself and wearing a uniform, he was falsely accused of being a motorbike thief, a dangerous accusation often used to incite mob violence.
Residents alleged that the attack was orchestrated by one Franklin B. Feawoe, alias “Black Bottle”, a notorious drug kingpin in Caldwell.
But the Payne family believes the killing was a deliberate setup to silence a committed drug enforcement officer. They continue to call on the Liberian government and international partners to ensure that justice is served. Editing by Jonathan Browne
