By Grace Q. Bryant
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) Executive Chairperson, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martins over the weekend requested the Justice Ministry to prosecute several government officials for corruption.
Those government officials to be prosecuted are four government-owned entities, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services, Liberia Water and Sewer Corporation, and the Planned Parenthood Association.
According to Cllr. Martins, early this year the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission carried out series of intelligence operations at the Ministry of Agriculture following reports of corruption. Following these operations, the LACC immediately commenced corruption investigation.
The basis of the investigation was to ascertain whether all legal requirements were satisfied in the award of government’s contracts to different companies including Fabrar and whether the Korean Value Chain project was properly managed.
Cllr. Martins maintained that on the contract with Fabrar, Hon. Jeannie M. Cooper in the discharge of her duties as Minister of Agriculture by knowingly awarding a contract valued at USD180, 000.00 for the supply of 200 metric tons of 25 kg bags of rice to Fabrar Liberia, Inc.; a company in which she had vested interest and for which she is also a Beneficial Owner.
“ That, Hon. Jeanine M. Cooper, in the discharge of her duties as Minister of Agriculture by illegally relieving Mr. Raymond Ogunti as Director of the PMU/MOA (who had an existing two (2)-year valid contract) without justifiable reasons and thus taking a unilateral decision in replacing him with Mr. Ansu Konneh against the expressed advise by the donor partners (WB, AfDB and IFAD); and for unilaterally awarding a contract to her relative (Zubin Cooper) as Consultant on the National Agriculture Fair (NAF) Program,” he added.
He further explained that Hon. Jeanine M. Cooper, in the discharge of her duties as Minister of Agriculture by knowingly providing false and misleading information to the Investigation that the second account opened at the LBDI was as a result of the first account opened at Ecobank being inconsistent with the PFM Law by not referring to the MFDP; knowing that her actual reason for taking such a decision was to get rid of the names of Hon. Precious Tetteh, Deputy Minister for Administration/MOA, and Mr. H. Nyounkpao Funnebo, Comptroller/MOA, and to be replaced with names of her choice.
He noted that the action of Hon. Jeanine M. Cooper and Mr. Bob Fassa, in the discharge of their duties as Minister of Agriculture, and Project Accountant/KOAFEC-MOA by knowingly and willfully expending the total of US$ 18,000.00 (US$ 2,000 + US$16,000) paid to both Curtis Jackson and Asatu Shannon under the pretext of services provided by them; and thus failing to provide any evidence of performance to account for or justify the expenditure of said amounts; be charged and prosecuted on the following statutes:
“That, Ansu Metzger, Joseph Toll Hinneh, and TheowayNyema of the STAR-P/MOA, and Assistant Minister Earnest J. Clark and Mr. Randolph Kolleh, Director of Sectorial Coordination/MOA, Gro Green knowing fully well that the 500 pieces of Wheelbarrows under the CERC Project were paid for and never delivered; but misrepresented the facts as though the wheelbarrows were delivered and distributed.”
LACC Boss stated further that in March this year, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission received reports of allegations of corruption at the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-information Services. The LACC immediately commenced investigations into these allegations.
“That, Wilmot Smith, Lawrence George, and Dominic Paye, respectively Deputy Director General for Information & Coordination, Deputy Director General for Administration, and Controller of LISGIS; acted negligently in the recruitment of both Avianet and Bluku Services Limited for the purpose of transportation and freight forwarding services to bring in 21,000 tablets and power banks and accessories to Liberia without adhering to the Public Procurement Laws of Liberia, as well as negligently failing to withhold taxes and remit same to GOL’s revenue account; violated the following controlling Liberian laws.”
According to him, Francis Wreh and Lawrence George in the discharge of their duties as Director General and Deputy Director General for Administration of LISGIS, having knowingly and willfully expended the amount of US$30,720.00 of public funds (intended for census-related activities) for the purchase of a second-hand generator without adhering to the PPCC Law of Liberia.
That, Mr. Francis F. Wreh, Mr. Lawrence George, and Mr. Dominic Paye, in the discharge of their duties as Director General, Deputy Director General for Administration, Deputy Director General for Information and Coordination, and Comptroller of LISGIS, having knowingly and willfully authorized the withdrawing and expending of the cumulative amount of US$70,000.00 of the Census fund (intended for census-related activities) and failing to fully account for some percentage of said amount violated.
That, Mr. Francis F. Wreh, Mr. Lawrence George, Mr. Wilmot Smith, and Mr. Dominic Paye, in the discharge of their duties as Director General, Deputy Director General for Administration, Deputy Director General for Information and Coordination, and Comptroller of LISGIS, having knowingly and willfully withdrawn and expanded the amounts of US$4,700; US$1,500, and US$2,640(US$8,840.00) out of the Census account and paying to themselves and other staff extra compensation for performing tasks for which they were hired to do by Law, and for which they are being duly paid through monthly salary payment by the Government of Liberia.
For his part, Moseray Momoh, having knowingly and willfully conspired with officials of the Sesay Brothers Business Center Inc. in selling of assets (seven vehicles) of the GOL/LWSC as scraps for an amount of US$6,000.00 which he knew was not authorized and thereby converting the proceeds therefrom into their personal use.
“That Mohammed Konneh, Ayouba Sesay and Ansu Konneh in their capacities as Managers of Sesay Brothers Business Center Inc., having knowingly and willfully conspired with Mosery Momoh, Deputy Managing Director for Administration of the LWSC, to clandestinely purchase assets (seven vehicles) of the GOL/LWSC as scraps for an amount of US$6,000.00 which they knew was not authorized and thereby converting same for personal benefit and the benefit of his company.”
The LACC recommended that the Management of the LWSC put into place measures so as to ensure that cash collected by the implant tellers from the Eco Bank and the LBDI be deposited into the account of the LWSC on the same day or the next; and that the management should ensure regular and timely reconciliation of all accounts as provided for in section 27(3) of the PFM Law in order to have these discrepancies curtailed or minimized.
