Costa Under Immigration Probe For “Forgery”

The Liberian Immigration Services (LIS) says it has formally begun investigation into circumstances leading to how Council of Patriot (COP’s) Chairman, Henry Costa, obtained what the authorities have determined to be alleged “forged travel document.”
LIS Director of Communications, Abraham Dorley, told this paper on Sunday, that Costa arrived in the country on Thursday, 19 December, 2019, using laissez-passer which he claimed to have obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
On Saturday, 11 January, Costa presented himself at the Headquarters of the LIS located in Wroto Town, Sinkor unaccompanied by a lawyer. Following a request for the presence of his counsel before the investigation could begin; Counselor Finley Karngar came to represent Costa.
There and then, Costa allegedly revealed during questioning that the laissez-passer was obtained with the assistance of one Sylvester Tevez-Nah, who is being sought after to aid with the investigation.
LIS stated that Costa left its Headquarters on Saturday afternoon after writing a statement and being signed for by his legal counsel. The LIS assured the public that while it is determined to carry out an expeditious investigation, it will ensure that the process is impartial and professional.
Costa, Chairman of the Council of Patriot (COP) which staged protest in Monrovia on Monday, 6 January, as follow-up to its demand claimed to have presented to government in June, 2019, was prevented from leaving the country last Friday on ground that he allegedly “forged” travel document.
Meanwhile, Sylvester Tevez-Nah, believed to be the Secretary General of the Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinion (CEIO), who is said to have aided in the alleged “forgery” has reportedly expressed his willingness to help state security with the investigation.
He is also believed to be an Immigration Officer and sometime one of the emissaries or errand boys of the COP’s Chairman. However, both Foreign Ministry and Immigration sources told INQUIRER yesterday (Sunday) that some senior officials of government with closed tie to the presidency of the regime might have been linked to the syndicate.