The death of 34-year-old Charles Kollie after four days in police custody has sparked outrage in Gbarnga, with Liberia’s Deputy Inspector General for Operations, Nelson Freeman, admitting that the Bong County Police detachment committed “procedural errors” in handling the case. While a jurors’ report concluded there was no foul play, Kollie’s family and residents are demanding a full, independent investigation into the circumstances of his detention, release, and death. The Arrest Kollie and three other men were arrested and taken to the Gbarnga Central Police Station on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The arrests followed a complaint filed by Jungle Energy Power (JEP) management alleging illegal connection and theft of electricity from the JEP grid.
Police identified Kollie as the primary suspect. The three other detainees were described by authorities as “beneficiaries” who allegedly received power through Kollie’s connection. According to police records, the three other men were released between Friday and Saturday after family members appeared at the station and signed commitments to pay JEP for the estimated value of the stolen electricity. The amounts were not disclosed. Kollie, however, remained in custody. Under Liberian law, a person may not be held for more than 48 hours without charge or court appearance. Kollie was held until Monday, May 4 — exceeding the statutory limit by two days. Police Account of Injuries and Release In a press briefing Tuesday, police authorities gave their account of events leading to Kollie’s death.
They said that while in a holding cell at the Gbarnga station, Kollie “became frustrated” and “repeatedly hit his head against the concrete wall,” sustaining visible injuries to his forehead and scalp. Deputy IG Freeman said officers at the station determined Kollie needed medical attention. On Monday morning, police say they “temporarily released” him from the cell to seek treatment at CB Dunbar Hospital in Gbarnga.
The mode of release has drawn sharp criticism. Police told reporters that no patrol vehicle was available at the station. Officers then gave Kollie 100 Liberian dollars — roughly $0.50 USD — and instructed him to find his own transport to the hospital. Police said commercial motorcyclists in the area refused to carry him “due to his condition and the blood on his head.” Kollie did not make it to the hospital. He was found hours later, unconscious, in a drain less than 300 meters from the police station.
He was taken to CB Dunbar Hospital by community members and was pronounced dead on arrival. The hospital’s preliminary report listed “blunt force trauma to the head” as the cause of death. Jurors’ Finding and Police Admission A 15-member coroner’s jury was empaneled Monday evening. After viewing the body, visiting the cell, and hearing from officers on duty, the jury returned a verdict of “death by self-inflicted injury” and found no evidence of foul play by police. The report was submitted to the Bong County Attorney’s Office on Tuesday. Despite the finding, Deputy IG Freeman publicly conceded that the Bong County detachment violated procedure. “The 48-hour rule is not a suggestion. It is the law,” Freeman said. “Keeping Mr. Kollie beyond that period was wrong. Releasing a detainee in his condition with 100 LD and no escort was also wrong. We take responsibility for those procedural failures.”
Freeman stressed, however, that the police did not cause Kollie’s death. “The jurors have spoken. There was no beating. There was no torture. The injuries were self-inflicted, according to the evidence gathered.”
Family and Community Reaction Kollie’s family rejects the police narrative. His sister, Helena Kollie, told reporters that her brother had no history of self-harm and that the family was never notified he was injured or released.
“We went to the station Sunday. They told us he was fine and that the JEP people had not come back,” Helena said. “The next thing, someone calls us to say they saw him lying in the drain. How does a man walk out of a police station with his head bleeding, and nobody helps him?” Residents who gathered outside the Gbarnga Central Police Station on Tuesday echoed those concerns. Many questioned why Kollie was kept while others were freed, and why police did not use their own resources to take him to the hospital. “LD$100 can’t even buy gas for a motorbike,” said Marcus Flomo, a youth leader in Gbarnga. “If the police say he was hurt, the law says you treat him.
You don’t throw him in the street.” The Citizens Action Committee of Bong County has petitioned the Independent National Commission on Human Rights to open a separate inquiry. The group also wants the Ministry of Justice to review all detentions at the Gbarnga station over the past six months. Legal and Policy Implications Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law requires that a person arrested without a warrant be charged and brought before a magistrate within 48 hours. The Constitution also guarantees the right to medical care while in detention. Rights advocates say Kollie’s case highlights chronic problems: overcrowding, lack of transport, and poor training at rural police stations. Next Steps The Bong County Attorney has received the jurors’ report but has not closed the case. A source in the office said prosecutors are reviewing whether any officer should face administrative charges for unlawful detention and negligence.
Jungle Energy Power declined to comment on the death but confirmed it filed the original complaint. The company said it is “cooperating with authorities” and that power theft remains a major challenge in the county. Deputy IG Freeman said the Liberia National Police Inspector General has ordered an internal audit of all detention facilities in Bong County. He promised that officers found to have breached protocol would face disciplinary action. For now, Charles Kollie’s body remains at the CB Dunbar Hospital morgue. His family says they will not bury him until they receive “the full truth.” “Procedural error is not enough,” Helena Kollie said. “My brother went in alive. He came out dead. Somebody must answer for that.”
