The courage and bravery to battle corruption as an individual, especially in an entrenched corrupt system, is challenging and risky, to say the least.
As our investigation uncovers, a patriotic Liberian whose commitment to his conscience and society now sees his good intentions and nationalistic fight against corruption as his professional duty at the detriment of his and his family’s life.
Well, in a chilling account of escalating threats and violent intimidation, Boimah Quaye Outland, a senior official in the SME Department of Access Bank Liberia, has detailed how his efforts to recover a defaulted loan led to life-threatening repercussions for him and his family.
According to our investigation, the case revolves around a loan disbursed to a Liberian company, Nagrifor Inc., which has since defaulted on repayment, triggering a fierce legal battle and culminating in Outland being targeted by powerful individuals connected to Liberia’s volatile political landscape.
Among other things, Mr. Outland was responsible for overseeing commercial loans to small and medium enterprises in Liberia. Under his management, he handled a portfolio worth over $3 million, with over 100 clients.
Many of these loans were secured by hard collateral, often real estate, which would be foreclosed upon in cases of default.
However, Outland soon learned that Liberia’s deeply alleged corrupt legal system made it extraordinarily difficult to enforce these contracts.
“The judicial system is rife with corruption and double-dealing,” Outland explained, “making it impossible to foreclose on properties or pursue legal actions against well-connected defaulters. “Despite these hurdles, Outland remained committed to his job, pursuing legal action against clients who defaulted on their loans.
His unwavering stance brought him into direct conflict with several powerful figures, including former government officials and warlords, many of whom held significant sway within Liberia’s political and judicial systems.
However, the situation took a dire turn recently, when Outland recommended the prosecution of a client whose guarantor was none other than former senator Sando Dazoe Johnson. Johnson, a notorious figure with ties to Liberia’s brutal civil war and to convicted war criminal Charles Taylor, had personally guaranteed a loan for Nagrifor Inc., a company owned by Ghanaian businessman Abdul Nasser.
The company defaulted, and when Johnson refused to honor his guarantee, Outland took the case to court.
Despite numerous attempts to convince him otherwise, Outland refused to back down. It was then that Johnson, known for his violent past and connections to former fighters in Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), began to target Outland personally.
It can be recalled on October 10, 2024, as Outland was leaving court, Johnson confronted him in a hallway, threatening him with death for bringing public disgrace upon him.
“No one has ever gone against me and survived,” Johnson reportedly warned, signaling that Outland was in grave danger.
Although Outland initially dismissed the threat, he soon received multiple harassing calls and messages from Johnson’s associates. A lawyer representing Outland advised caution, warning of the senator’s notorious reputation and advising him to take extra security measures.
In a twist that seemed to confirm his worst fears, Outland received disturbing news shortly after traveling to the United States for a brief vacation. Back in Liberia, his family was being stalked. On November 24, 2024, a group of men forcibly entered Outland’s home, ransacked the property, and left behind a chilling message: “If you don’t back off from prosecuting our boss, we will wipe out your entire family”, the threat re-emphasized.
Thankfully, Outland was abroad at the time, but his family was forced into hiding, fearing for their lives.
The situation grew more sinister when his fiancée received an anonymous text message, warning her to stop reporting the threats to the police or face the same fate as a recently murdered businesswoman.
Additionally, Strange vehicles were spotted outside their home, further fueling the sense of terror. The police, according to him, have been ineffective in addressing the situation, and no action was taken against Johnson despite the serious threats made.
“This man is powerful,” Outland said. “He’s connected to people who are willing to go to any length to protect their interests, and they will stop at nothing to silence anyone who stands in their way.”
The scaring and worrisome situation now puts the determined and professional Liberian, Outland, who had long aspired to become a lawyer and had even passed the law school entrance exam, life and that of his family at serious risk as his gradual bright future looks uncertain.
His dreams of a peaceful life with his family are now overshadowed by the threat of violence and retaliation from those entrenched in Liberia’s allegedly corrupt political and judicial system.
Moreover, the case has raised alarm about the pervasive climate of impunity in Liberia, where individuals with political connections and violent histories can threaten and harm citizens with little to no recourse for justice.
As Outland remains in the U.S. for his own safety, he is now drawing the attention of the international community especially the USA to said scaring situation to protect both himself and his family from the violent repercussions of his efforts to seek justice in Liberia.
