Acting LDEA Boss in ‘Conflict of Interest’? Advocate Vandalark Patricks Raises Red Flag; Demands Clarity

By Julius T. Jaesen, II

Vandalark R. Patricks, a prominent social commentator, has brought to light interesting concerns regarding the dual role of being played by Mr. Christopher Peters, who is currently serving as the Acting head of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) while allegedly remaining an employee of the U.S. Embassy near Monrovia.

Patricks claims his investigations has revealed that Mr. Peters holds the position of Acting Foreign Service National Investigator/Diplomatic Security at the U.S. Embassy, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.

According to Patricks, the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) at U.S. embassies worldwide, including the one in Monrovia, relies on Foreign Service National Investigators (FSNIs) like Mr. Peters to maintain relationships with local law enforcement, assist with fugitive apprehensions, investigate visa fraud, and support counterterrorism and transnational crime efforts.

Patricks is arguing that these responsibilities, central to Mr. Peters’ role at the U.S. Embassy, may conflict with his current duties as the acting head of the LDEA.

Patricks has criticized Mr. Peters’ recent activities at the LDEA, particularly his focus on minor achievements, such as infrastructure upgrades and donations, rather than on building significant external partnerships to bolster the agency’s effectiveness.

Patricks also claimed that Mr. Peters’ attempts to enhance his public image by accompanying U.S. officials and guests on various tours within Liberia are merely efforts to create the impression of being well-connected.

In his analysis, Patricks suggested that Mr. Peters might be leveraging his position at the U.S. Embassy to perform tasks under the guise of working for the LDEA.

Patricks questions whether this dual role violates U.S. Department of State policies, which typically prohibit embassy employees from simultaneously holding government positions in a host nation.

One incident highlighted by Patricks involved a botched raid on August 22, conducted under Mr. Peters’ leadership, which resulted in chaos and public embarrassment for the Liberian government.

Patricks attribute the failure of this operation to poor intelligence and surveillance coordination, further casting doubt on Mr. Peters’ capabilities in managing both roles effectively.

Patricks has also expressed concerns about Mr. Peters’ involvement in visa fraud investigations as part of his duties at the U.S. Embassy.

Given Liberia’s high visa refusal rate, estimated at 67.62%, Patricks fears that Mr. Peters’ alleged mismanagement in these investigations may have contributed to the denial of visas for thousands of Liberians.

Despite the seriousness of these allegations, Patricks has pointed out that there has been no clear statement from either the Government of Liberia or the U.S. Embassy regarding whether Mr. Peters resigned from his U.S. Embassy position before assuming the LDEA role.

This lack of transparency, according to Patricks, has fueled further speculation and calls for clarity.

Patricks is now urging the U.S. Embassy to clarify Mr. Peters’ employment status, asserting that if he has not resigned from his embassy role, the situation represents a conflict of interest and a breach of diplomatic protocol.

Patricks argues that the U.S. Embassy must immediately recall Mr. Peters if he is still employed to maintain the integrity of U.S. diplomatic practices in Liberia.

According to Patricks, the U.S. Department of State’s guidelines for Foreign Service National Investigators explicitly outlines their duties, which focus on assisting with U.S. foreign policy interests and do not permit them to hold simultaneous positions within foreign governments.

Patricks warned that if this situation is left unaddressed, it could lead to significant diplomatic repercussions.

As Vandalark R. Patricks continues to voice his concerns, both the U.S. Embassy and the Liberian government are under increasing pressure to provide answers and ensure that all diplomatic protocols and national laws are upheld.