Claim: Suspended Deputy Commissioner for Crime Services Johnny Bolar Dean was dismissed and reinstated by Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman.
Verdict: Misleading
Full Text: Johnny Bolar Dean was relieved of his duties following allegations that he accepted a US$10,000 payment connected to a narcotics investigation involving a suspected drug trafficker.
Dean previously served as Commander of the LNP Anti-Robbery Unit and was later appointed Chief of Intelligence of Unit 106 prior to his dismissal.
Since his dismissal from the Liberia National Police by President Joseph Boakai, there has been a claim that he was previously dismissed in 2015.
“It was Coleman who brought Bolar back into the Police Force after Johnny Bolar Dean was accused, investigated, and dismissed in 2015 for providing assistance to armed robbers when he served as Commander of the Anti-Robbery Unit. IG Coleman brought him back and rewarded him with the position of Commissioner of Police.”
Verification: Dean responded to the circulated claim, “I served the Liberia National Police as a trained and dedicated police officer for many years and held several senior positions within the Crime Services Division. In 2016, following allegations of Police Impropriety involving myself and ten other police officers, we were subjected to an investigation involving the Liberia National Police and the Ministry of Justice.
The matter was investigated and ultimately handled by the Ministry of Justice through the Office of the then Solicitor General, Cllr. Betty Lamin-Blamo. I fully cooperated with the investigation and respected the processes of the institutions involved.
It is important to place that fact in its proper context. Internal investigations of police officers are a routine and necessary part of professional policing and institutional accountability. Police officers are regularly subjected to internal inquiries arising from allegations of misconduct, operational incidents, administrative concerns, or other matters requiring review. Today, many such matters are handled through the Professional Standards Division, while prior to its establishment similar investigations were conducted through other internal mechanisms.”
According to Dean, the conclusion of the investigation dated April 10, 2017, was that the Liberia National Police informed him that he was exonerated from the allegations of Armed Robbery and Criminal Conspiracy for lack of evidence.
“My suspension was lifted; I was directed to resume official duty, and the Administration further resolved that I be promoted to the rank of Chief Superintendent, subject to the established promotion process.”
Our research established an article dated April 1, 2017, published by New Dawn Newspaper, where Dean was exonerated after the December 2015 incident that led to an investigation.
A similar article was published by The News newspaper, dated April 13, 2017.
Conclusion: It is a fact that Dean faced administrative actions by the Police hierarchy in 2015 and was reinstated in 2017. The claim that he was dismissed is incorrect.
Additionally, the claim that Dean was reinstated by the current police Inspector general is unproven, as there was an investigative panel set up to probe the incident.
