What seems like a script out of a crime gang movie played by the “God Father” is manifesting itself in real-life right in the public’s eye.
Since President Boakai came to political power, he and his administration have made a name for themselves by confronting corruption head-on. Due to the administration’s zero tolerance on corruption, many heads have rolled, audit reports recommendations put into order, and stealing public funds is now more difficult than ever. But it seems like the Monrovia City Hall has become an exception to President Boakai’s no-tolerance on corruption.
The entire Accounting Department, headed by Weemongar James, Comptroller, Workteh Nyenie, General Manager for Accounts, Weyatta Haines, Zayzay Lloyd, Louise Flomo and Phileta Weah have been running the biggest criminal network in Liberia with millions of US dollars unaccounted for.
No one knows how long this criminal organized crime network has been running for, but investigation puts it as far back at the beginning of the CDC-led government when City Mayor Jefferson Koijee was appointed.
The wall of the longest running crime gang came tumbling down just by a stroke of luck, as providence sided with City Hall.
On the fateful day of April 15, 2025, by a stroke of luck Rachel Harris, Director of Revenue, received deposit slips representing payments made by four local businesses directly into MCC’s Ecobank US dollars account but observed some inconsistencies in the transactions. Owing to this, she alerted the Director General, Abel Nowon, through email.
Harris noticed that the deposit slips from Kids Planet in the amount of L$12,000 (twelve thousand Liberian dollars) and Gentlemen’s Club, in the amount of US$225.00 (two hundred twenty-five United States dollars) had the same serial number which seemed unusual.
Owing to Harris’s findings and her subsequent email to the Director General of Fiscal Affairs, which was copied to the City Mayor, the Liberian National Police (LNP) was invited by the mayor to conduct an immediate investigation.
During the investigation, the review of the deposit slips show that Comptroller James had personally signed off on each of the eight bank slips as confirmation that the payments were legal. But unfortunately, a review of the bank statement showed that the money did not reflect in MCC’s account as confirmed by the Comptroller.
Owing to the police findings, Wleemongar James and Harris were invited for further questioning. During the investigation, a search of the comptroller’s office by the LNP was conducted in the presence of the comptroller, his lawyer and the Monrovia City Police, and a number of items were found including a stamp of Ecobank, identical to that used on the purported bank slips.
It was pre-concluded that Comptroller James was grossly negligent or might have criminally conspired to defraud the MCC of its duly needed revenue.
Accordingly, all the individuals involved have been suspended, pending the outcome of the investigation. Also, a writ of arrest has been issued for Comptroller James, who has been on the run and is nowhere to be found.
Harris’s simple stroke of luck may just have broken the biggest criminal crime gang operational in the Republic and opened wide Pandora box that will deeply drag in the CDC. To be continued.