Published: January 14, 2026
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia — The Liberia National Police (LNP) has charged civil society activist and former Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) chairman Mulbah K. Morlu with multiple criminal offenses in connection with the Dec. 17, 2025 “Leave or Lead” protest organized by the pressure group STAND, police said.
In its charging instrument, police accused Morlu and co-defendant Rev. Festus R. B. Logan of criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct, and obstructing highways and other public passages, citing provisions of Liberia’s Revised Penal Law. Police said both men were invited for questioning, informed of their constitutional rights in the presence of their lawyer, Atty. Henry K. Wokolo, and subsequently charged.
According to police, the protest resulted in multiple incidents, including simple assault, criminal mischief, robbery, and theft of property, allegedly committed by individuals described as STAND protesters who fled into nearby communities after officers deployed tear gas on Tubman Boulevard.
FIA Vehicle Attacked, Salary Checks Allegedly Stolen
One of the key complaints comes from Mohammed A. Nasser, identified by police as Officer-in-Charge at the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA). Nasser told investigators that at about 3:45 p.m. on Dec. 17, FIA staff traveling along the Jallah Town Road in a government vehicle—a white Renault sedan with license plate LB-6642—were attacked while attempting to escape the protest area.
Nasser said the vehicle’s occupants sustained injuries and the car was vandalized. He further alleged that protesters forcibly took mobile phones, personal items, and several checks belonging to the agency, including checks intended to pay employee salaries for December 2025. The checks listed in the police summary include:
US$35,516.75 (GOL/FIA Salary Check #00012247)
LRD$3,007,023.66 (GOL/FIA Salary Check #00006034)
LRD$298,007.28 (GOL/FIA Domestic Travel Check #00001782)
Three additional checks issued to Jessica D. Beyan, ranging from US$17.45 to US$60
Police said the alleged theft raises security concerns due to the sensitive information believed to be contained in the stolen materials.
Finance Assistant Says Protesters Called for Their Death
Jessica D. Beyan, a finance assistant at FIA, told investigators she left the office around 2 p.m. to deposit salary and travel checks at the Central Bank of Liberia and other banks alongside two colleagues, Mercy L. Cooper and Victor Togba Jr.
Beyan said they became stuck in traffic on Jallah Town Road for about an hour when a group of men approached their vehicle, pointed at it, and allegedly shouted that it was a government car. She told police a masked man urged others to kill the occupants, after which stones were thrown at the vehicle.
Beyan claimed she was struck in the face by a rock, dragged from the car, and robbed of a handbag containing two cellphones, her national ID card, Liberian passport, voter registration card, FIA ID card, and LRD$6,000, among other personal items.
Another FIA Employee Reports Robbery
Mercy L. Cooper, also of FIA’s finance department, told police she was sent to deposit three checks at the Central Bank when protesters attacked the vehicle. She said the attackers shattered the windshields and seized her handbag containing two cellphones, cash, and FIA identification materials.
Cooper told investigators she could not identify the individuals who stole her bag.
FIA Driver Links Group to Morlu’s Movement
Victor Togba Jr., an FIA vehicle operator, told police he was instructed by officers near City Hall to use the Jallah Town road to avoid the protest crowd. He claimed that while using that route, he saw Mulbah Morlu passing on a motorbike wearing a face cap and white shirt, followed by about 30 men.
Togba alleged that shortly afterward, the group approached the FIA vehicle, identified it as a government car, and began damaging it. He reported that his Samsung Galaxy A14 5G phone, valued at US$250, was stolen during the incident.
NaFAA Director General Reports Separate Attack
Police also recorded a complaint from Borkai A.M. Sirleaf, Director General of the National Food Assistance Agency (NFAA), who told investigators his black MG SUV, bearing license plate LB-3350, was attacked along the Jallah Town Road while he and his driver were conducting food distribution activities.
Sirleaf alleged that individuals armed with rocks, sticks and scissors damaged the vehicle, attempted to stab his driver, tore his clothing, and wounded him on the hand. His driver, Gayflor Zayzay, told police that two phones—an Oppo R9 and a Tecno Camon 14—were taken during the attack.
A witness, Saywon Wulah, a resident of Jallah Town, told investigators he observed a group he claimed was headed by Morlu and others vandalizing vehicles along the route after being provoked by remarks made by a woman in the area.
Police Say Protest Turned Violent After Warning
Police said they began tracking the December 17 protest after Morlu, described as STAND’s chairman, announced it months earlier during the July 17, 2025 “Enough Is Enough” protest.
According to investigators, protesters assembled at STAND’s Congo Town office and marched under police escort toward key areas including the University of Liberia, the Capitol Building, and the Executive Mansion, where officers advised the group to remain peaceful while awaiting a government official to receive their petition.
Police said Morlu allegedly sat in the middle of the street while other protesters gathered around him, blocking vehicle and pedestrian movement. Investigators claim security officers repeatedly requested the group to clear the roadway, but the protesters refused, and some began throwing stones and other objects at officers and members of the public.
The LNP said its investigation remains ongoing as it seeks to identify additional suspects.
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