What appeared to be looting of state properties have been reported at the Independent National Human Rights Commission (INCHR) with accusing fingers being pointed at the past leadership.
Accordingly, dozens of vehicles and motorbikes donated or provided to the commission by donors or partners over the years could not be accounted for, but an investigation is underway to know the culprits.
The Commission’s Chairman, T. Dempster Brown told the media yesterday in Monrovia that he and others inherited a broken institution in September of this year with vehicles and motorbikes, which cannot be accounted for.
He said that he and his colleagues met only 2 vehicles out of 7 or more assigned to commissioners and senior staffers, and 3 motorbikes out of the 28 assigned to field monitors throughout the country and perhaps, even furniture.
Brown stated that during an inquiry into the disappearance of the vehicles, motorbikes and other materials at a mass meeting held with the employees sometime last month (October), nobody wanted to tell the truth as everyone remained tightlipped claiming not to be in the know.
He however has assured both local and international community that corruption will neither be condoned nor tolerated at the National Human Rights commission as investigation is ongoing and anyone found culpable will be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“I can assure the Commission in particular, and Liberians as well as our partners in general that corruption will not be practiced at this Commission. Taking away state properties that are not individual’s own does not augur well,” Brown noted.
Though he did not call names, but the Commission until September of this year was under the acting chairmanship of Attorney Bartholomew B. Colley (BBC), who and others’ 5 years tenure of service ended before a new batch took over the affairs.
However, when the former head of the Commission, Colley was reached for comment he dismissed those allegations saying, “Those things might have happened after my departure on Wednesday, March 31, 2021, but not under my watch.”
He said on that fateful date, he handed the Commission’s authority over to the most senior staffer then, Commissioner Oretha Davies, alongside the Secretariat and never went back to do anything when he had no business to do there.
Colley recounted how he was audited by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and he responded to every enquiry which vindicated him of any wrongdoing and the report is there with the GAC for anybody to prove him wrong.
“Perhaps those things might have happened under the secretariat after I had left, but not me taking away or looting state properties to be my lifestyle. I’m always satisfied with whatever I earn through hard work and honesty,” he noted.
In the foregoing, Brown indicated that before their arrival at the Commission there were people who were not on the payroll and the most disgusting part, was self-promotion or elevation by some staffers into various positions but those are being reviewed as those involved will be demoted.
He continued: “There are 15 positions available now that need to be filled with competent and qualified Liberians who are ready to work for their country and its people because human rights violations are serious matters nowadays.”
On challenges, Brown said the international community wants the Commission to decentralize its activities with functional counties’ offices to monitor human rights violations in the rural communities instead of just sitting supinely in the urban areas.
He said ambassadors or diplomats of various missions accredited to Liberia who were present during their commissioning ceremony in September, are concerned about the human rights abuses occurring daily in the hinterland.
“With this, we will begin touring the country as of Friday, November 12 in an effort to set up offices and deploy monitors to report on human rights violations,” Brown disclosed.
For budget support, the INCHR boss said the allocation is little over US$1 million before getting there, but with the new budget being submitted, the Commission hopes to get an increment.
About his outburst on matters of concerns, he stated that the Commission should not be seen as an enemy to the regime but as a good partner that will help the status quo to get international support.
“Whenever we make these comments mainly on perceived ritual issues in the country which have caught public attention, some officials of the regime consider it as an offense, but that should not be the case, rather speaking truth helps to clear the people’s doubt,” Brown explained.
He stated further that they are not criticizing but are raising issues that are good for the country on grounds that Liberians do not want another round of violence here again.
On cases of perceived human rights violations, Brown disclosed that the Commission inherited 16 including 1 against Vice President, Jewel Howard-Taylor; 1 from the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), Bong County; another one against the Liberia Refugees, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), from Nimba County.
He claimed that the Commission has not yet investigated those complaints because they do not investigate criminal matters, rather, civil matters. However, the case against Veep Taylor was dismissed because it has no magnitude.
For CARI, Brown claimed to have instructed the complainant to take the matter to the Labor Court because it has to do with human labor or work and pay.
The case between Nimbaians and LRRRC also has to do with the usage of their land on which the refugees’ camps are situated as landlords want land rental fees.
The Commission was established by an Act of Legislature in 2005 as a National Human Rights Institution mandated to promote and protect human rights in Liberia.
The department for complaints, investigation and monitoring is one of the five (5) departments established by the Act.
It is tasked with monitoring and investigating, documenting and reporting on alleged human rights abuses/violations in Liberia, producing incidence or thematic reports as well as producing quarterly and annual reports on the general situation of human rights in Liberia.
It can make determination, recommendations and referrals to the appropriate authorities on matters it has been investigating or conciliating.
It can recommend immediate interim relief for victim(s) and approach the courts seeking declaratory judgment to obtain relief for victim(s).