LNP Suspends Bong Police Chief | News

The Liberia National Police (LNP) has suspended the Chief of Operations of the Bong County Police Detachment, Superintendent Chris N. Gono, for one month without pay after concluding that he neglected his duty by failing to ensure that a detainee received urgent medical treatment before his death.

The disciplinary action, which took immediate effect, follows an internal investigation into the death of Charles Kollie, who died while in police custody. According to the LNP, Superintendent Gono failed to take the necessary steps to ensure the detainee received timely medical attention.

An official suspension letter dated June 18, 2026, issued by the Office of the Head of the Human Resource Management Division at the Charles B. Alfonso Caine Building in Monrovia, cited “unsatisfactory conduct” and “unsatisfactory performance” under the Liberia National Police’s Administrative Instructions on Discipline and Professional Standards.

As part of the sanctions, Gono will forfeit his July 2026 salary and surrender all government-issued property, including his badge, uniform, identification card, boots, and other official equipment, throughout the suspension period.

The letter also instructed him not to identify himself as a member of the Liberia National Police while serving the suspension “to avoid further embarrassment.”

Under the LNP’s disciplinary regulations, Gono has the right to appeal the decision within six weeks of receiving the suspension notice.

The police administration identified the central issue as Gono’s failure to ensure that Charles Kollie received emergency medical attention while in detention.

However, the suspension letter provides few details about the circumstances surrounding Kollie’s arrest, the nature of his medical condition, or the cause of his death. It also does not indicate whether other officers are under investigation or whether criminal charges are being considered.

The disciplinary action comes amid growing public concern over police accountability and the treatment of detainees in Liberia, where human rights organizations have consistently argued that law enforcement agencies have both a legal and constitutional obligation to protect individuals in their custody, including providing prompt access to medical care.

Although the suspension is an administrative measure and does not amount to a finding of criminal liability, it represents the LNP’s internal response to alleged professional misconduct.

Days after news of the suspension became public, Superintendent Gono issued a public apology on his official Facebook page, accepting responsibility for what he described as failures in his supervision.

Addressing members of the Joint Security, Bong County authorities, religious and traditional leaders, the family of Charles Kollie, and the Liberian public, Gono expressed remorse over the incident.

“Please forgive me due to my unsatisfactory conduct or supervision as it is being mentioned within the suspension letter,” he wrote.

He further admitted feeling personally responsible for failing to ensure that Kollie received immediate medical treatment.

“I feel guilty,” he stated, acknowledging that the detainee did not receive the urgent medical attention he required while in police custody.

In his account of the incident, Gono explained that he had been preparing to respond to a traffic accident at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI) when officers informed him that a detainee had defecated on himself inside the holding cell.

Rather than attending to the matter personally, he said he instructed officers under his command to address the situation before leaving for the accident scene.

According to Gono, he found an injured traffic accident victim at CARI and transported the individual on his motorcycle to Phebe Hospital after the person reportedly suffered a broken hand.

He said that after returning to the Bong County Police Headquarters, he failed to carry out what he described as the necessary “follow through” by confirming whether his instructions regarding Charles Kollie had been implemented.

Instead, he admitted leaving for home early the following morning without verifying that the detainee had received medical attention.

“I failed to do the necessary follow-through,” Gono acknowledged.

Despite facing disciplinary action, he praised the police administration for enforcing internal accountability.

“So many thanks to the Liberia National Police Authority for ensuring disciplinary actions,” he wrote.

Gono also informed the public that after receiving his suspension letter on June 24, he no longer regarded himself as an active police officer and should be considered a private citizen until formally reinstated.

The Liberia National Police has not publicly responded to Gono’s Facebook statement or confirmed the sequence of events he described.

Apart from the official suspension letter, the LNP has released no additional findings from its internal investigation and has not indicated whether further administrative or criminal proceedings are being contemplated.

It also remains unclear whether Charles Kollie’s death is the subject of a separate criminal investigation.

The incident has reignited debate over detention conditions and police accountability in Liberia.

Civil society organizations and human rights advocates have repeatedly called for greater transparency in cases involving deaths or medical emergencies in police custody, arguing that once a person is deprived of liberty, the state assumes responsibility for that individual’s safety, wellbeing, and access to healthcare.

Legal experts note that the death of Charles Kollie raises broader questions about operational supervision, compliance with detention procedures, and institutional accountability within Liberia’s criminal justice system.

Whether additional disciplinary measures or legal action will follow remains uncertain and is expected to depend on the outcome of any ongoing internal reviews or external investigations.

For now, Superintendent Gono’s suspension remains an administrative sanction under the Liberia National Police’s disciplinary framework, while public attention continues to focus on the circumstances surrounding Charles Kollie’s death and what the case may reveal about standards of detainee care within Liberia’s law enforcement institutions.