Detainee Found Dead Near Station in Gbarnga

Published: May 6, 2026

GBARNGA, Bong County — Charles Kollie walked out of the Gbarnga Central Police Station on Monday. By Tuesday morning, he was dead — his body found meters from the same facility, leaving his family with no answers and law enforcement with mounting questions about what happened in the hours between.

Kollie, an electrician, had been in police custody since April 30 following a complaint by Jungle Energy Power accusing him of involvement in electricity theft. Three co-detainees were released the next day. Kollie remained behind bars until CSD Commander James Kartoe reportedly released him at approximately 11:45 a.m. on May 4, according to Bong County Police Commander ACP William Johnson.

His body was discovered a short distance from the station less than 24 hours later.

Central to the controversy is what happened between his release and his death. Family members say they were never notified, and no one signed to receive him.

“They said my son was released, but none of us signed for him,” his father, Paul Dunbar, said. “If he was truly released, who took custody of him? My son cannot walk out of a police cell and end up dead nearby. Something is wrong.”

Deputy Police Inspector General for Operations,  102 Nelson Freeman, acknowledged “procedural errors” in the handling of Kollie’s release but stopped short of specifying what those errors were or who bore responsibility. Col. Freeman also disclosed that while in custody, Kollie had allegedly struck his head against the wall. It remains unclear whether that incident was documented, medically attended to, or reported before his release.

The accounts from police authorities have raised further questions. While ACP Johnson said findings from a 15-member coroner’s jury had been submitted to investigators and would not be released until the full investigation was concluded, Col. Freeman told reporters separately that preliminary findings suggested “no foul play.” The basis for that conclusion has not been explained, and no autopsy results have been made public.

Investigators say CCTV footage from the police station will be reviewed, a potentially critical step in establishing Kollie’s movements after his reported release. The role of Jungle Energy Power in the initial arrest is also under examination, with uncertainty remaining over whether Kollie was first apprehended by company personnel or directly by police officers.

By Tuesday, family members and community residents had gathered at the station demanding answers and calling for an independent probe. The family has threatened legal action against both the Liberia National Police and Jungle Energy Power over their roles in the chain of events leading to Kollie’s death.

Kollie’s body has been deposited at St. Kennedy Funeral Home in Gbarnga pending the outcome of the investigation. Bong County Administrative Officer Sam Elliott has joined local authorities in efforts to establish the facts.