Published: July 12, 2026
KAKATA, Margibi County — Michael Brown fell ill on a Wednesday, the court request went in on Thursday, and by Friday, the pretrial drug detainee had walked out of Kakata Central Prison into the custody of his family. Now, according to multiple sources within the Ministry of Justice, the two officials at the top of that prison have lost their jobs over it.
The ministry has reportedly dismissed former Kakata Central Prison Superintendent Maj. Nelson Owah and Deputy Prison Superintendent Willie Zunugo over their alleged roles in Brown’s controversial release, according to sources. The decision was taken on Wednesday, July 8, following an internal review of the release and a September 2024 letter requesting Brown’s temporary freedom for medical treatment.
The Liberian Investigator has not independently obtained an official dismissal letter, and ministry authorities have not publicly confirmed the reported dismissals. The ministry’s public relations officials said the matter remains under investigation.
Brown was committed to Kakata Central Prison on Aug. 7, 2024, charged with unlicensed possession of a controlled drug, a non-bailable offense under Liberian law. Court records indicate he remained a pretrial detainee at the time of his release.
The letter at the center of it all
The controversy turns on a Sept. 19, 2024, letter from the prison administration to Judge T. Clapha Carey of the 13th Judicial Circuit Court. The letter stated that Brown became ill in custody on Sept. 18 and was taken to C.H. Rennie Hospital for evaluation, complaining of pain, distress, chest pain and tenderness allegedly related to injuries from an earlier traffic accident on the Robertsfield Highway. The letter said hospital authorities recommended treatment at a more advanced medical facility, and a referral was attached.
On that basis, the prison administration asked the court to permit one or two of Brown’s family members to assume responsibility for him so he could obtain treatment, with the assurance that he would later return to face justice.
The circumstances of that request are now the focus of the Justice Ministry’s investigation. One question investigators are reportedly examining is why the communication was issued under the name and office of Superintendent Owah but signed “PP” by Assistant Superintendent Zunugo — and whether Zunugo had formal authority to sign on the superintendent’s behalf.
What the law actually allows
Investigators are also expected to determine whether Brown’s release followed the procedures Liberian law establishes for inmates requiring specialized care, and here the letter runs into a legal problem.
Section 34.3 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law authorizes a prison superintendent or warden to transfer a prisoner to another correctional institution, a general hospital, or another appropriate medical facility when a prison physician determines adequate treatment cannot be provided inside the prison. Crucially, the law provides that the prisoner remains under the jurisdiction and custody of the prison authorities during treatment and must be returned to custody upon completion of care.
Legal observers say the provision contemplates a medical transfer within state custody, not a release into private hands. If Brown were handed over to family members instead of remaining under correctional supervision, they note, investigators would likely examine whether that action was supported by a lawful court order or other legal authority.
A three-day turnaround, and a jailbreak next door
The timeline itself has drawn scrutiny. According to prison records, Brown reportedly became ill Sept. 18, the request for medical leave reached the court Sept. 19, and he was released Sept. 20 — a three-day turnaround that raises questions about the speed with which the process was completed. Questions have also emerged over whether Brown was the only inmate at Kakata Central Prison suffering a serious medical condition at the time, and whether similar requests were made for any other prisoner.
The release also came roughly one week after a major security breach at the same facility, in which nearly 50 inmates escaped on Sept. 8, 2024. The Ministry of Justice launched an investigation into that jailbreak, but its findings were never made public.
The Liberian Investigator will continue seeking official comment from the Ministry of Justice, the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and the Judiciary regarding the reported dismissals, the legal basis for Brown’s release, and the status of the ongoing investigation.
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