

The money that was in the black plastic carrier bag
* What truly counts is our strong commitment to serving with honesty and integrity
* These officers have been turned over to the Professional Standards Division for further disciplinary actions
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, Frontpageafricaonline.com
Liberia’s Inspector General of Police, Gregory Coleman has personally uncovered corrupt practices among highway patrol officers.

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Coleman was on his journey from Nimba County to Monrovia on Friday when he caught officers harassing drivers and extorting money, exposing what Liberian citizens have long alleged as a widespread issue across the country.
Coleman reportedly intercepted the officers with a black plastic bag filled with money, believed to be bribes extorted from unsuspecting drivers.
“This afternoon, while on my way from Nimba, I saw something really concerning,” Coleman stated in a message released to the Liberian public via his Facebook page. “Some highway patrol officers were bothering drivers and taking bribes.
“But what truly counts is our strong commitment to serving with honesty and integrity. These officers have been turned over to the Professional Standards Division for further disciplinary actions.
“We are committed to restoring public trust and ensuring that every officer serves with integrity, professionalism, and respect for the rule of law.”

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The Professional Standards Division (PSD) is a body tasked with investigating misconduct within the force.
He described the incident as symptomatic of deeper challenges within the Liberian National Police (LNP) and vowed immediate corrective actions.
Coleman, who first served as police inspector general during the administration of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, returned at the helm of police following the election of President Joseph Boakai.
He has vowed to promote professionalism and weed out corruption in the police and this latest discovery by Coleman shows the extent of how corruption festers in the police force.

President Joseph Boakai

George Weah
President Joseph Boakai succeeded George Weah in 2023 and under his administration, Weah advocated on cracking down on corruption, but it still remained a problem during his time as president and, by some measures, it has worsened.
But during his reign, the former international footballer, the first African to win the Ballon d’Or, some improvements to Liberia’s infrastructure were made, such as the construction of new healthcare facilities and the paving of some of the country’s roadways.

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In addition, he introduced policies to improve access to education, including making tuition free at public universities. The state of Liberia’s economy during his term was mixed: existing economic challenges had been exacerbated by the negative impact of the CoVID-19 pandemic in 2020 — but the economy showed growth over the next three years.
In spite of this, poverty remained widespread in the country, and the living conditions of many Liberians had not improved.

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