The Civil Society Organizations of Liberia are calling on President George M. Weah to dismiss one of the Commissioners of the Independence National Commission on Human Rights (INHCR) Mohammed Fahnbulleh for lack of understanding of the Commission and his ethical misconduct.
According to the Chairperson of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Loretta Pope Kai, an official communication will be sent to President Weah recommending Commissioner Fahnulleh’s dismissal.
“People need to stand up, I think we should appreciate what this lady did as an employee of the institution,” she noted.
Madam Kai added, “Fahnbulleh needs to step down from his position as a commissioner because he does not have the expertise in human rights and I don’t think he is qualified to serve that position because he does not even know what is SEA.”
According to her, there is a need that all commissioners at the INCHR understand the code of conduct for a work place.
However, the chairperson of the Investigative Committee, Margaret M. Nigba also revealed that the investigative findings found Commissioner Fahnbulleh liable of interacting with the victim.
She further stated that during the investigation, Commissioner Fahnbulleh admitted to the committee that he danced with the victim and even displayed video evidence of their interaction.
“We are surprised that Commissioner Fahnbulleh will come to the public and cry wolf,” Cllr. Nigba noted
Madam Nigba, among others things, said that they have recommended to the Commission to established a gender desk at the INCHR that will allow females to file complaints at any time they feel violated.
“The victim broke the storm to have spoken out against such act at the INCHR,” she said.
Madam Nigba however said there are more women at the INCHR who have or are being violated and abused but the atmosphere is not conducive for them to be able to come up and express themselves.
“The President needs to get at INCHR; there is a serious conflict there that needs to be addressed. The Commission is a serious place not for commissioners to be fighting among themselves,” she narrated.
She intimated that, “If the commissioners keep fighting among themselves how will people take their issue to seek redress?”
Madam Nigba stressed that Liberia is about to enter into a very important history, which is October’s election, adding that if the commissioners who are to protect human rights is such circumstances, who will they handle human rights issues that might arise during these elections?
“There are female commissioners who supposed to protect the interest of another females, but they are there joining and making statements against their fellow females at the Commission; something which she terms as unacceptable.
Meanwhile, in Commissioner Fahnbulleh response to the allegations, he said the findings was a make-up adding that it was done to silence him on the issue of corruption and other things that have been happening but he will continue to ensure that justice is done.
“If you look at the video documentation, the dance they are taking about, I did not touch her butt or breast. The investigation has refused to look at the video that was presented to them,” he noted.
He narrated that, “I did not admit to any judgment; I have not had the opportunity to meet the people. They have asked me to respond and called me for an investigation and in the documents that I submitted, I denied all of the allegations and they are yet to give me evidence for the wrong doing they claimed that I did.
“There is nowhere in that video that I was smoking and there is nowhere in that video that I touched the woman; I was not dancing with the woman, she came to dance with me and she also confessed to the LNBA and AFELL that she wanted to set me up,” he told reporters.
“I was the one who complained this lady and she apologized and begged me but as soon as I turned my back, they went to the media and say that I sexual harassed her,” Fahnbulleh narrated.
“We will use the minutes of the court to compel Cllr. Brown to conduct a board meeting because he has refused to call for a board meeting and all he wanted was a publicity about the case and that is why we have to come to the court,” he stated.
According to him, the investigative report that stated that he admitted to the allegations is misleading and false noting, “They came out with a finding when I have not had the chance to meet my accuser.”
He maintained that the law requires that there should be due process and the person that has been accused must meet the accuser, “but which was not done and I should also provide witnesses that should have testified on my behalf; that was not done also.”
The court’s ruling yesterday on the complaint filed by Commissioner Fahnbulleh on the investigative committee’s report said it will be absolutely premature to entertain the petition when as per the rules and procedures set out by the policy of the respondents herein have not been fully exhausted therefore, the court could not entertain the petition until all of the internal remedies which have been outlined were fully exhausted.
The court therefore ordered the parties to return to statute quo anti until all of the internal remedies of the INCHR have been exhausted.
