REBUTTAL TO MY BIG BROTHER CLLR. TIAWON SAYE GONGLOE’S CALL FOR IGP RESIGNATION — AND TO STANTON WITHERSPOON & SPOON PANELISTS ELEVATING IT
By Col. Joseph G. Kollie (Rtd)
EYEWITNESS TO 2002, FOUNDER OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, DEFENDER OF BLUE
I listened to my big brother Cllr. Tiawon Saye Gongloe on Prime FM 105.5 calling for IGP Gregory O.W. Coleman to resign — saying IGP “knows drug cartel, shielding them, if President Boakai sees him as son and won’t fire him, he should resign himself.” Now I see Stanton Witherspoon and his panelists elevating it. With due respect, I must dislodge this narrative with facts, law, and history.
WHO IS TALKING TO YOU? MY CREDENTIAL TO SPEAK ON THIS:
I was Special Assistant to Police Director Paul E. Mulbah. Twice I stood against abuse:
1) 2002 — Gongloe: After his Sierra Leone speech, he was arrested and kept overnight at Central HQ. In our holding cells, as is common, inmates have their own government. They tortured Cllr. Gongloe WITHOUT consent or knowledge of government/police administration. He sustained eye injuries and bruises. When I came to work and was informed, I protested to Director Mulbah and stepped down as SA. Director Mulbah sent me to get him and sent him to hospital. I stayed away 2 weeks until Director Mulbah himself went to my mentors — late Prof. Joe Worlubah Mulbah and late Margaret Berdie Broh (then Deputy Director for Admin, both now deceased), and Saah Richard Gbollie (then Deputy Director for Operations, still alive — my living witness) — to beg for my return.
2) Cllr. Frances Johnson Morris (later Chief Justice): She was also incarcerated. I protested again. Director Mulbah termed it “Mistaken Identity” and ordered release.
Because of my stance for human rights, during deactivation I was revetted by UNMIL, trained at Police Academy Basic and Senior Management, sent to Ghana Police College for Senior Management Course 40, and commissioned into senior ranks by then President John A. Kufuor along with 2 other Liberians and 98 Ghanaians. Upon return, UNMIL established Professional Standards Division (PSD) to stop exactly the 2002-type abuses — an office I was assigned to as its FIRST Deputy Commissioner. I joined UNMIL counterparts in crafting the TOR for the Department.
So I know what abuse is, and I know what accountability is. I BUILT accountability!
NOW TO BIG BROTHER GONGLOE’S NARRATIVE — 5 POINTS TO TRASH IT:
POINT 1 — IGP DID NOT SHIELD CARTEL, HE SENT CARTEL TO COURT — CASE IS SUB JUDICE!
Big Brother, you know law! The half a billion cocaine case you reference — LNP under IGP Coleman investigated, arrested suspects, charged, and sent to court INCLUDING former VP Jewel Howard-Taylor! Once sent to court, it becomes sub judice. IGP cannot re-arrest, re-try, or convict on radio. If he does, you as lawyer will be first to shout “Contempt of court! Presumption of innocence violated per Article 21!” Which one do we want? Facebook conviction or court conviction? If you have evidence that IGP is shielding, file it as amicus to the court, don’t try it on Prime FM!
POINT 2 — IF KNOWLEDGE MEANS GUILT, THEN COURT IS NOT NEEDED!
You said IGP “knows cartel.” Big Brother, investigation is knowledge. LNP investigated and charged. Prosecution is Ministry of Justice. Conviction is Judiciary. If IGP knows cartel, you as human rights lawyer know the remedy: Writ of mandamus to compel prosecution, not resignation call on radio. Accusation without docket number is politics, not law.
POINT 3 — SAME IGP ARRESTED HIS OWN ELITE MEN — THAT IS NOT SHIELDING, THAT IS REFORM!
If IGP is shielding criminals, why did SAME IGP arrest his own elite Unit-106 Commissioner Johnny Bolar Dean and Chief of Highway Patrol for bribery and send them to court? A shielding IGP would have buried that case! He also dismissed officers for extortion. That is the Professional Standards culture I and UNMIL established! That is cleaning the blue uniform!
POINT 4 — DRUG FIGHT IS NOT ONE MAN SHOW — STOP PERSONALIZING INSTITUTION!
Stanton Witherspoon and panelists, listen: Drug cartel fight is LNP + LDEA + NSA + Ministry of Justice + Judiciary + Legislature. LNP did its part: investigation & charging. Prosecution & conviction is for Justice Ministry & Courts. You cannot put whole drug cloud on one man’s head. That is how CDC personalized everything. We said we would rescue Liberia from that!
POINT 5 — RESIGNATION IS AT PLEASURE OF PRESIDENT — NOT AT PLEASURE OF SPOON!
IGP serves at pleasure of President per law. President Boakai, whom Big Brother Gongloe supported in run-off, still has confidence in him. If President refuses to fire him, maybe it is because President sees operational results, not because he sees him as son. President Boakai fired others before — he is not sentimental. If Gongloe wants to be President (LPP got 1% in 2023), he should tell us how he will fight drugs with evidence, not with radio resignation calls.
CONCLUSION TO PUBLIC — TRASH THE NARRATIVE:
Liberians, do not be fooled by trial by radio. In 2002, we had cells where inmates had their own government torturing people without police knowledge — that was why we needed PSD. Today in 2026, we have PSD, we have due process, we have court.
I stood for Gongloe in 2002 when it was dangerous. I stand for rule of law in 2026 when it is difficult. I built police accountability with UNMIL. I know the difference.
Big Brother Gongloe, you are my hero, but on this one, you are doing politics, not law. Bring evidence to court, not microphone to Spoon.
Stanton Witherspoon, invite me to your panel. I will come with TOR of PSD and docket numbers, not with empty mouth.
Col. Joseph G. Kollie is a retired Police Colonel. He was First Deputy Commissioner, Professional Standards Division LNP (UNMIL) Ghana Police College Course 40 — Commissioned by President J.A. Kufuor Former SA to Police Director Paul E. Mulbah — Twice Stood for Justice. Living Witness: Deputy Director Saah Richard Gbollie (Ops) For Public Education — September 2026 Rule of Law, Not Politics — For Professional Standards
