The saying, “99 days for rogue, one day for master,” is a Liberian adage which indicates that no matter how smart a criminal you think you are, one day, you will be caught is with the case with Monrovia City Mayor, Jefferson Koijee who was parading around here as though he was the only giant in town. Some people would say, “he who jeh acting leh village giant” and thought no one was watching.
This is what made the news of his being sanction by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for his alleged involvement in human right abuses, to spread across Liberia like a wild bush fire.
Koijee, who many persons, including some top government officials, fear for his alleged involvement, either directly or in part, in most violent activities, which sometimes led to the death of others, was sanctioned, along with 20 others from nine countries. Apparently, he was sitting on the neck of Liberia and she needed to breathe, thus making his sanction pronouncement worth celebrating.
The statement said, “Today OFAC designated Jefferson Koijee, who is the mayor of Monrovia, Liberia, and is a senior leader in the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) political party.”
“Koijee has a reputation for stoking violence and has a powerful grip on Monrovia’s youth. He controls paramilitary-style organizations associated with the CDC which allegedly recruits former combatants and recently released prisoners.
OFAC has reason to believe that Koijee has instructed these organizations to violently disrupt demonstrations conducted by government critics or political opposition. Koijee and his supporters have been involved in violence in connection with an opposition rally in July 2022, students attending a memorial service for former Liberian President, Amos Sawyer, in March 2022, an anti-rape protest in August 2020, a student graduation ceremony in December 2019, and an opposition rally in November 2018,” the release noted.
According to the U.S. OFAC statement, Koijee has also engaged in corrupt acts, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets for use by private political movements and pressuring anti-corruption investigators to halt corruption investigations.
The statement further narrated that Koijee is designated for being a foreign person who is responsible for, or complicit in, or who has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse and for being a foreign person who is a current or former government official, or a person acting for or on behalf of such an official, who is responsible for, or complicit in, or who has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts, or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery pursuant to E.O. 13818.
“As a result of today’s actions, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.”
“In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons.
In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action,” OFAC warned.
The statement furthered, “The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.”
“The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior,” The release said.
I thank the government and people of the United States of America for always keeping an eye on its closest ally in Africa, and consistently trying to pull the weeds from among the wheats in our country.
The sanction of Koijee sends out a strong caveat to persons who think that when power is conferred on them, they have all rights to misuse the essence of the power to the disadvantage of the people. In Liberia, we say, “the slaughtering of the he-goat should be a warning to the small ones.”
But while we appreciate the American government for its stance to help Liberia improve its governance system for the benefit of the people, we want them to aid the government of Liberia in the investigation of all sanctioned officers, including Koijee, Nathaniel McGill, Bill Twehway, Serenius Cephus, Prince Johnson, and Varney Sherman, to clear their names if acquitted, or serve their deserved term if guilty.
I encourage the Liberian government to also initiate an investigation and punish these sanctioned persons, some of whom are elected to serve in the National Legislature, to serve as a deterrent to would-be violators, and ensure transparency, accountability, and credibility of the government.
There are several other persons who are using their private and public offices to unleash various forms political, socioeconomic, as well as human rights violations against women and children, vulnerable people, and other persons who they feel do not have the financial and political muscles to fight back.
As I look through with the Koijee sanction and its benefit for Liberians, especially the country’s youthful population who are being negatively impacted by Koijee’s philosophy of militancy and instilling fear in the people, it is worth looking into on whose behalf or on whose instruction or in whose interest was the mayor acting and did he get the arms that he allegedly used to intimidate or harass his perceived opponents.
I concord with my senior brother, Mr. Roberson Teah, who is interested to know how Mayor Koijee got access to the Monrovia Central Prison to have released core criminals to be trained at major government military and paramilitary training facilities.
I join Mr. Teah to believe that Koijee did not act void of an accomplice who may have given him the back stopping support he needed to carry out his carnage against his victims while he kept this nation living in fear. I hope that Big Brother Sam will look deeper into these sanctions imposed on Koijee and his likes, and bring to light those who are throwing stones and hiding their hands, and leaving Koijee to be the sacrificial lamb.
While searching for answers to these questions, I believe that as a young man, the MCC boss should have explored his youthfulness for his own benefits and for the benefits of his supporters, especially the many young persons who believe in him and see him as their leader and role model.
I call on him to reflect on the adage that says, “99 Days For Rogue, One Day For Master,” as no matter how politically cunning and empowered you are, one day, you will also be politically cut down.
*The thought of the son of a professional Kru woman.
