The Liberian House of Representatives presided over by Speaker Dr. Bhofal Chambers has been probing deeply into statements made by a DEA agent on allegations that some members of that august body are running a drug cartel.
Agent Massaley told a group of students in Paynesville at forum in observance of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that she and some other agents intercepted a Representative along the Gardnersville highway who was hugely involved with illicit drugs trafficking.
She said the unidentified lawmaker told her the matter would go nowhere and that he was going to support the team or the agency with a vehicle to fast track their operations in an effort to appease them for making arrest.
Her statement since went viral with a call for her to name the specific lawmaker or lawmakers involved for a naming, shaming and possible prosecution.
The public concern and overall anxiety to reaching to the bottom of the matter led to a summon of Agent Massalley before the House of Representatives Tuesday at the Capitol.
The probe became so intense that the agent reportedly had severe headache and unconditionally apologized for her action and possible participation in an effort that saw illicit drugs passed her watchful eyes without action.
The Liberian Legislature is the first branch of our democratic governance structure and the body responsible to make laws, key amongst them laws that protect Liberians against substances like drugs which continue to permeate our society leaving several young folks prone to street life.
Linking that body to drug trafficking raised complete eye brow not just amongst Liberians but international partners who have and continue to support hugely in Liberia’s democracy; acting as in summoning the accuser was the right thing to do.
It’s shameful for anyone to think the action by the lawmakers was intimidating or disappointing; the hearing was carried live for all in the public to watch, DEA was fully represented and the hearing was never done behind closed doors, this is what I would call transparent and impartial hearing. Thanks to Speaker Chambers and the members of the House of Representatives who would brave the storm to have an accuser face them directly in such independent and friendly manner while the public watched.
Agent Massallay had all in her powers to spill the beans unhindered but to not have identified anyone in the midst clearly says a lot about the DEA and agents on the field.
There have been huge concerns in the public that some agents in the security sector themselves conspire with bad people to ruin the society, not suggesting she is but the action of not being able to identify a single individual or the plate that was used to transport the substance along the Gardnerville route leaves me wondering.
There was no time than Tuesday for the House of Representatives to redeem itself from what has been lingering in the public about some members being drug users or traffickers and we like to congratulate the Speaker for such a remarkable display of statesmanship to showcase an accuser impartially to such hearing. By: Robert Haynes/ Liberian Journalist.
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