By Alex Yomah
The former ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), has described as ‘jungle justice and arbitrary proceedings’, the work being carried out by the Asset Recovery Team recently set up by President Joseph N. Boakai.
CDC Chairperson, Janga Kowo, disclosed that the current seizure of private property, which he described as extra judiciary activities from past officials by the asset recovery team, is unacceptable.
Recently, President Boakai issued an Executive Order, establishing the Asset Recovery Taskforce to identify and recover assets that were allegedly stolen or misappropriated during the previous administration.
The team has however faced some challenges in its efforts to recover assets, including the alleged deliberate resistance from former government officials to aid the team in its operation, but is also making significant progress in identifying and freezing assets linked to former officials.
Some high-profile individuals, including former Police Inspector General, Patrick Sudue, and Chief of Protocol to the former President, Finda Bundoo, have all been implicated in the asset recovery process, with some of their vehicles being seized.
He also described as false and misleading, the information from the head of the Asset Recovery Team, Cllr. Edwin Martin, that former President George Weah did not declare his assets, something he described as gross disrespect to the former President.
According to Kowo, in less than 100 days in office, the Unity Party (UP) has been engaged in extra judicial activities, which, he disclosed, violates the Liberian Constitution, including other laws of the country.
He named the dismissal of civil servants, violation of tenure positions, and the killing of citizens by officers of the Liberia National Police during the Cape Mount saga, among others, as some of the missteps of the UP government.
“The alleged harassment of peaceful citizens is dangerous, and if this government continues to physically attack peaceful citizens, they will be seeking trouble because their proceeding is an act of provocation and we will not sit and allow that to happen,” Kowo noted.
He, at the same time, cautioned Boakai’s government to desist from allegedly violating the Liberian Constitution, as well as causing tension and conflict for the people, and stressed, “Because, if he continues, we will resist any attempt to violate the laws of Liberia through legal means.”
Meanwhile, buttressing his chairperson’s assertion, Deputy House Speaker, Thomas Fallah, described the assets recovery process as a ‘joke’, stating that former government officials would resist the team from seizing their belongings.
Fallah also claimed that those forming part of the team lack credibility, and it is merely a political ploy to discredit the CDC party, accusing the President of using the asset recovery process as a means to target former government officials and tarnish their reputations, in the name of wanting to retrieve and confiscate government assets.
According to Fallah, the setting up of an Assets recovery taskforce is a welcome venture, but he believes that those forming part of the team will want to use the opportunity to get at past officials of the CDC government due to personal greed or reasons best known to themselves.
He noted, “So, I believe that this process is a fraud and no former government officials should submit themselves to any asset recovery team, and any attempt to forcefully confiscate their belongings will be met with stiff resistance.”
“I stand by this assertion because this asset recovery process is a sham, and we are already mobilizing former government officials to resist the team and prevent them from carrying out their duties, and we as a party will protect our own,” he added.
