SEVERAL MEMBERS, INITIALLY 48 in number, of the House of Representatives are seeking Speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa’s removal through a resolution signed by many of them. They justify Speaker Koffa’s removal for significant conflict of interest, arbitrary decision-making, corruption (when he served as Deputy Speaker), altering the 2024 National Budget and conviction in the United States.
THE PROBLEM WITH the effort to remove the Speaker is that bribery has surfaced. On Thursday, a video clip of Gbarpolu County’s district #2, Representative, Luther Collins, holding a huge sum of United States dollars that he claimed was a bribe to remove Speaker Kofa, widely circulated on social media, raising concerns regarding the process. Since then, there have been claims and counterclaims amongst members of the House of Representatives, with some lawmakers claiming that no money is involved in the process.
SENATORS ABRAHAM DARIUS Dillon and Nathaniel F. McGill have been speaking to the grave issue of alleged bribery at the House of Representatives. They are calling on the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to launch an investigation into the allegation and prosecute all those involved.
SENATOR DILLON SAID, “Members of the House of Representatives have the rights and legal powers to remove a Speaker… but for ‘cause’, after ‘due process of law’. But when said removal process is marred by alleged bribery, and said ‘bribery’ is exposed as seen in this video, then it calls for criminal investigation by the Justice Ministry and or the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to authentic the veracity of the ‘bribery’ claim”.
ACCORDING TO SENATOR Dillon, bribery is a felony for which a lawmaker or any group of lawmakers can be arrested and prosecuted, even during session of the Legislature, and that in any bribery claim there must be a “giver” and a “recipient”.
“I AM THEREFORE impressing upon the Ministry of Justice, as well as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, to immediately institute criminal investigations into this matter to ensure justice and fairplay. This investigation must begin with the arrest and subsequent questioning of the lawmaker seen in this video to tell from where he received the alleged bribe,” Senator Dillon pointed out.
ALSO, SENATOR MCGILL observed that Liberia’s democracy is in danger. “The use of bribery to remove an elected official from office represents the most blatant and dangerous form of corruption. It undermines the very foundation of our democratic principles, where elected leaders should serve based on the will of the people, not on backroom deals or financial coercion,” he stated.
SENATOR MCGILL, TOO, called on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to immediately launch a thorough and transparent investigation into the grave allegation—lawmakers suspected of receiving bribes to remove the Speaker—and the lawmakers responsible held accountable to ensure the protection and future of the democracy. “This is not just a political issue, but a test of our commitment to uphold the rule of law, accountability, and the principles that should guide our nation,” he added.