By S. Siapha Mulbah
Opposition Democratic National Allegiance (DNA), in its political quest to minimize corruption across society continues to hold its members accountable as a tangible example of its leadership.
It was barely a day when Smith of Grand Gedeh was arrested and jailed that the party proceeded with another arrest, this time its Rivergee County Chairperson, George Doe, for misappropriation of monies forwarded to him for the rental of the party’s office in the county.
Doe collected a sum of over US$2,564 to pay for an office space in Rivergee, transport delegates to Nimba for the just-ended convention and purchase gasoline for motorbikes but cleverly and intentionally, he paid US$700 to the landlord and is yet to account for the remaining sum of over US$1,864.
According to executives of the newly established political institution, the prosecution of George Doe and others, when found guilty of using the party resources for unintended purposes, will face the law as precedence to good governance.
Speaking to this paper at the Liberia National police Headquarter in Monrovia yesterday where defendant George Doe was charged with Theft and Misapplication of Entrusted Property, the Party’s Secretary General Ishmael Keita noted that as the party pursues national leadership, it is however prepared to present to the public an accountable administration.
According to Keita, as part of the party’s plan to decentralize leadership across the entire country, the counties’ chairpersons were entrusted with the rental fees negotiated by them to set up the party offices in the 15 counties.
Of the total amount, US$1,440 was inclusive as rental fees and Keita explained that the corrupt county chairperson paid US$700 to the owner of the facility after he (Doe) and the landlord had a prior agreement.
Keita along with other officials of the party maintained that George Doe’s corrupt act did not only cover the rent of the office but also went to an extent of forging a receipt that was summited to the national leadership of the party for recording purpose.
The secretary of the Democratic National Allegiance said, “We cannot be holding government’s feet to the fire on issues of corruption and misapplication of public fund when our own people in the party have corrupt attitudes.”
“It is not about the money that George Doe and the other county chairperson but the misapplication of the funds entrusted to them. DNA as a party is going to make sure that everyone in all sectors gives account of the party’s financial resources. This is for transparency and accountability,” he maintained.
The party’s action of prosecuting officials for corruption and other malpractices is something that appears to be strange to the political land scape. Doe’s arrest and subsequent detention at the national police headquarter on June 8, 2023 follows investigation carried out by the national leadership of the party.
DNA executives revealed that it took seize of the opportunity to investigate people in leadership for allegation which George Doe of Rivergee County and Stanias Smith of Grand Gedeh County are currently behind bars undergoing due process.
George Doe denied the allegation during police investigation but appealed to the leadership of the party to drop charges.
According to reports from DNA national leadership, all guilty chairpersons are going to face penalty for three months if there is a need to drop charge against anyone.
Stanias Smith who chaired the party in Grand Gedeh County also committed similar act and was arrested on June 6, 2023 place in cell in the county awaiting court proceeding expected to start on today June 9, 2023.
