MOJ Denies Brown Release-Says Judiciary solely authorized Brown’s freedom

MONROVIA – Liberia’s Justice Ministry has moved to separate judicial action from executive authority amid growing public scrutiny surrounding the country’s ongoing narcotics investigations. Responding to speculation linking Michael U.S. Brown’s release to the recent US$19 million cocaine investigation, the Ministry insists the former detainee regained his liberty solely through a court order issued nearly a year before the latest cocaine seizure. Officials argue that inaccurate public narratives risk undermining confidence in both the justice system and ongoing criminal investigations. The clarification seeks to distinguish two separate drug cases while reaffirming that prosecutorial decisions and judicial rulings remain governed by Liberia’s legal framework. THE ANALYST reports.

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has categorically denied allegations that it authorized or facilitated the release of Michael U.S. Brown, maintaining that the former pre-trial detainee was released solely under an order issued by the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court in Margibi County.

In a statement issued Friday, July 3, the Ministry said Brown’s release resulted exclusively from a judicial ruling handed down by Resident Judge T. Ciapha Carey on September 20, 2024, following an application seeking medical treatment.

According to the Ministry, Brown was released on medical grounds after the Court granted his petition and required Ms. Toshey Garnett and Ms. Christine G. Checks to execute a human surety bond, legally undertaking to produce him before the Court whenever required.

“The Ministry of Justice neither authorized, approved, nor directed his release,” the statement emphasized.

Ministry Rejects Public Claims

The clarification follows what the Ministry described as widespread misinformation attempting to associate Brown’s release with the ongoing investigation into the attempted exportation of approximately US$19 million worth of cocaine seized at Roberts International Airport (RIA).

Justice Ministry officials maintained that the allegations are false and unsupported by the facts.

The Ministry recalled that Brown and Raymond Kpehe were arrested on July 24, 2024, after attempting to clear two cartons labelled “Tea Leaves” at Roberts International Airport.

According to investigators, Brown, an Information Technology Officer assigned at the airport, was identified as the importer and consignee of the shipment, while Kpehe, a United Parcel Service (UPS) clearing agent, handled the clearance process.

Investigators later discovered that the cartons contained cannabis, commonly known as “Kush,” with an estimated street value of approximately US$200,000.

Both men were subsequently investigated and charged with offences relating to the unlawful importation and transportation of controlled substances.

Court Ordered Medical Release

The Ministry explained that while Brown remained in pre-trial detention, prison authorities informed the Court that his medical condition required treatment beyond what could be provided while in custody.

Brown subsequently petitioned the Court for permission to obtain advanced medical care.

Although state prosecutors opposed the application, Judge Carey granted the request and ordered Brown’s temporary release under the conditions of the human surety bond.

Reaffirming its position, the Ministry stressed that the decision was entirely judicial and did not result from any executive action by the Ministry of Justice.

“The Ministry neither approved nor facilitated his release,” the statement reiterated.

The Ministry further emphasized that Brown’s 2024 prosecution involved an entirely separate criminal matter concerning cannabis valued at approximately US$200,000 and bears no connection to the current investigation into the attempted exportation of cocaine valued at approximately US$19 million.

It warned that any attempt to link Brown’s court-ordered release to the ongoing cocaine investigation is “false, misleading, and unsupported by the facts.”

The Ministry concluded by reaffirming its commitment to conducting criminal investigations professionally, impartially, and in strict accordance with Liberian law while urging the public to rely on verified information rather than speculation.