Monrovia, Liberia — Former Liberia National Police senior officer Johnny Bolar Dean has rejected claims that he was dismissed from the police force over allegations of armed robbery and criminal conspiracy, saying official records show that he was cleared, reinstated and recommended for promotion before voluntarily leaving the institution.
Dean made the clarification in response to recent statements and social media publications concerning his former service with the LNP and alleged connections to criminal activities.
He said the reports have presented an inaccurate version of his departure from the police and created the impression that he was removed because of criminal allegations.
According to Dean, he and 10 other police officers were investigated in 2016 following allegations of police misconduct. He said the matter involved the LNP and the Ministry of Justice and was subsequently handled through the Office of then Solicitor General Cllr. Betty Lamin-Blamo.
Dean said he cooperated with the investigation and allowed the relevant authorities to examine the allegations.
He maintained that an investigation should not be confused with a finding of guilt, stressing that allegations must be tested against evidence before conclusions are reached.
Dean said the investigation eventually cleared him of the allegations of armed robbery and criminal conspiracy.
He cited an April 10, 2017 communication from the LNP which, according to him, informed him that the allegations had not been substantiated because of insufficient evidence. He said the decision led to the lifting of his suspension and his return to active duty.
Dean further said the police administration subsequently approved his promotion to Chief Superintendent, subject to completion of the required promotion process.
He said the outcome was also publicly reported by The New Dawn newspaper in its April 11, 2017 edition following the LNP’s announcement.
Dean therefore disputed descriptions that he was “booted out” or dismissed from the police because of the allegations.
He said he remained with the LNP for more than a year after being cleared before voluntarily resigning on May 1, 2018, to pursue another professional opportunity.
According to Dean, the police formally acknowledged his resignation in a May 10, 2018 communication, thanked him for his service and wished him well in his future endeavors.
“Let me therefore be absolutely clear,” Dean said, maintaining that he was never dismissed or terminated from the LNP because of the armed robbery and criminal conspiracy allegations.
He said his documented record instead shows that he was investigated, cleared, reinstated, considered for promotion and later resigned voluntarily.
Dean also strongly denied allegations linking him to a drug trafficking organization, describing the claims as baseless.
“I am not connected to any drug cartel,” he said, challenging anyone making such allegations to provide credible evidence to support them.
His statement comes as Liberia continues a major investigation into alleged narcotics trafficking involving large cocaine seizures and questions surrounding the possible involvement of individuals connected to the country’s security institutions.
Dean also addressed a separate allegation involving an alleged US$10,000 payment, saying the matter is currently under investigation.
He declined to engage in an extensive public defense of that allegation while investigators are still working to establish the facts. Instead, he said he intends to cooperate with the authorities and allow the investigation to proceed.
Dean said his years in law enforcement taught him the importance of allowing investigators to work without interference and avoiding premature conclusions.
He indicated that he would respond more fully to the bribery allegation after the investigation is completed.
The former police officer also urged the public to distinguish between allegations, speculation and established findings, particularly when assessing his previous police record.
He argued that the 2016 investigation, which he says ended with his exoneration, should not be merged with the current bribery matter.
According to Dean, the two cases should be assessed independently, with the earlier allegations considered based on the official outcome and the current matter determined by whatever evidence investigators establish.
The controversy comes amid increased scrutiny of the LNP and other security institutions following Liberia’s ongoing narcotics investigation.
Dean said he had previously chosen not to publicly revisit the 2016 matter because he believed official records would adequately establish what happened.
He said his decision to remain silent should not be interpreted as acceptance of claims that he had been dismissed over the allegations.
Dean maintained that documentation from the LNP and publicly reported developments support his account of the matter.
He called on the public and media to rely on verifiable records rather than repeated allegations when discussing his professional history.
