By Bill W. Cooper
The plenary of the House of Representatives has jailed the former Assistant Director for Cyber Crime Intelligence at the National Security Agency (NSA), Joseph Jake Brown for lying under oath.
The lawmakers also mandated Mr. Brown to pay in government’s coffer a fine of over LD4, 000, while at the same time instructed him to publish an apology in three local dailies namely, the Inquirer, Daily Observer and FrontPage Africa newspapers.
The august body also requested the Ministries of Gender, Justice, Labour and the NSA, with that body’s Judiciary Committee serving as a focus verdict, to investigate Mr. Brown’s alleged involvement into an act of ‘child trafficking and sexual abuse’ of a minor that went viral on the social media.
The House’s decision however followed a complaint from Montserrado County District 4 representative, Rustonlyn S. Dennis in which she craved the indulgence of her colleagues to allow the House Committees on Gender and Social Protection to investigate a ‘Child abuse video’ permeating on the social media.
In her communication, she alleged, “Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, the child in question is believed to be a Liberian child, and that the abuser whose name is Amb. Joseph Jake Brown works with the National Security Agency (NSA). As parents and members of this legislature, I believe if we act promptly; we can prevent or limit another child abuse.”
As a result of Rep. Dennis’ letter, the House, under the leadership of House Speaker, Bhofal Chambers then invited the Ministries of Justice, Health and Gender, the NSA and the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police (LNP) to address issues of ‘alleged child trafficking, sex abuse of minors, and the child abuse video’ on the social media.
In his testimony before full plenary, Mr. Brown then lied under oath while being interrogated by Speaker Chambers that he was still in the employ of the NSA after the House established his link to the ‘child abuse video’ on the social media.
“I am in the employ of the NSA as an Assistant Director for Cyber Crime and Intelligence. In have never ever received a dismissal letter and that the Deputy Director for Administration at the NSA has never received a CC copy of dismissal letter and there is nowhere in his book that I have signed informing me that I have or was dismissed, and the last time I was in my office was on October 22 of 2020,” he said.
However, the NSA Director further clarified that Mr. Brown’s assertion which was later backed by the reading of his dismissal letter by the House Chief Clerk, Mildred Siryon.
“By directive of the Director of the NSA, your employment is hereby terminated at this agency, and this takes effect immediately. The agency’s investigation found you to be in constant violation of Section 2.705 CF&G of the agency security regulation that has the propensity to bring this institution into public disrepute,” the letter said.
Meanwhile, following the House’s decision, House Speaker, Bhofal Chambers then lauded his colleagues for the decision taken, something he described as a gain and win for the country’s fight against human trafficking, while at the same time stressed the need about the welfare of survivors.
He added, “We have to find that child because that child needs therapy. That child life has been destroyed and as such, she needs some reconstruction because for a child below eight years, and a person that would decimate at the age of 50 or above during that pornographic act with that child is almost like an act of accomplice.”