The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) has described as baseless and unfounded calls for the suspension of the President of the Lofa County University (LCU), Dr. Isaac P. Podah, based on his indictment by the 10th Judicial Circuit Court, for alleged involvement in acts of corruption following an investigative report from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) from the General Auditing Commission (GAC) Audit report on the operation of the Lofa County University.
On September 2, 2025, Dr. Podah, along with the university’s former President, Dr. Samuel K. Ngaima, and several senior officials of the institution were indicted on charges of economic sabotage, theft of property, misapplication of entrusted property, criminal conspiracy, conflict of interest, and abuse of office for private gain, based on the LACC report on an investigation conducted into allegations of financial irregularities at the Lofa County University, totaling approximately US$410,000 and L$13.3 million.
Having investigated and analyzed the LACC’s findings from the GAC Audit Report on the operations of the Lofa County University, the Civil Society Network of Liberia said it strongly believes that the indictment of Dr. Isaac Podah for alleged acts of corruption is not only erroneous and misdirected, but a politically motivated action intended to seek his removal as President of the university. The CSNL’s review of the GAC Audit Report on the operation of the Lofa County University reveals that the alleged acts of financial and administrative irregularities were carried out prior to Dr. Isaac P. Podah assuming the position of President of the university. Dr. Podah’s predecessor, Dr. Morlu Karsor, Vice President for Academic Affairs, acting as President of the university, presented a turnover note containing several discrepancies, which were revealed by a report from an investigation conducted by the office of the Comptroller and Accountant General of the Republic of Liberia and the Internal Audit Unit at the Lofa County University. On March 31, 2025, the Civil Service Agency (CSA) acknowledged Dr. Podah’s March 8, 2025 communication regarding the suspension of Dr. Morlu Karsor and two others, Peter C.P. Taylor, Comptroller, and Beyan M.M. Kamara, Human Resource director, for alleged acts of financial and administrative irregularities discovered from the turnover note.
Based on the alleged breaches of the public financial management regulations by Dr. Morlu Karsor, in cohort with Peter C.P. Taylor and Beyan M.M. Kamara, while administering the affairs of the university after the removal of Dr. Samuel K. Ngaima, they were outrightly dismissed by the CSA.
The Civil Society group said it is seriously baffled and bewildered at the parading allegations of corruption against Dr. Podah with no substantive evidence linking him to such. The group said in two different communications the Director General of the CSA, Dr. Josiah Joekai, and the Comptroller and Accountant General at the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning commended Dr. Podah for addressing the issues of financial and administrative irregularities and maintaining the institutional integrity of the Lofa County University. In a corruption cartel, bank statements on the USD and LRD operational accounts of the Lofa County University, copies of which are in the possession of the CSNL show that Dr. Karsor, Peter C.P. Taylor and Dr. Samuel K. Ngaima used Duwana Mosielekie to withdraw the total of US$88,367.00; Alieu Kamara to withdraw the total of US$279,381.00; Jallah M. Kamara to withdraw the total of US$297,933.00 and L$2,853,803.40; Mohammed Guilavogui to withdraw the total of US$51,000.00 and L$2,853,803.40; Augustine Silgbah to withdraw the total of L$3,298,000.00; Karsor Mulbah to withdraw the total of L$166,500.00.
“It is disappointing that those using Dr. Podah’s purported indictment as a basis to call for his suspension failed to independently verify the substantive nature of the corruption allegations against him. We encourage those making the calls for Dr. Podah’s suspension to fully read and analyze the LACC’s investigative findings on the GAC audit report on the operations of the Lofa County University,” CSNL said in a press release.
However, the Civil Society Network of Liberia said it has uncovered that the wave of allegations against Dr. Isaac P. Podah and calls for his suspension is an undermining effort by internal actors at the university, with a member of the board being the mastermind behind the propaganda. “The nature of the claims of corruption and indictment of Dr. Podah on flimsy grounds is due to the interest of a certain member of the university’s board, who desires his removal for the return of Mr. Morlu Karsor as President. This board member, who previously served as Chairperson of the University’s board when Mr. Morlu and his likes allegedly carried out several financial and administrative malpractices is seeking the return of Mr. Morlu at the expense of Dr. Podah to resume their business as usual.
“Hence, the CSNL calls on the Board of Trustees of the Lofa County University not to allow the greedy and corrupt ambition of any individual to undermine the level of transformation and reforms Dr. Podah has initiated at the university. Due to Dr. Podah’s positive reform agenda, enrollment at the Lofa County University has increased from 700 to about 2,000; practical science labs are now available for science students and agricultural students, producing carrots, cassava, snails, etc.; university library now equipped with modern textbooks; furbished facilities with running water and electricity; better learning environment with the installation of fans and air-conditioned at offices and faculty rooms, whiteboards in classrooms, rehabilitation of campus roads, cafeteria and student center; elimination of disparity in salaries and benefits of staffs, and others. Despite these achievements, all we see is Dr. Podah becoming a victim of unbridled or unchecked desires,” the group said.
“While the Civil Society Network of Liberia frowns against and detests corruption to the core, the institution will not support those who are bent on making unfounded claims against the characters of officials of government without investigation. Calls for the suspension of a public official should be based on hard facts or evidence and not politically motivated allegations. Inasmuch as we do not support corruption and mismanagement of public funds, we believe that the corruption allegations and indictment against the President of the Lofa County University, Dr. Isaac Podah, is unfair, unjust, and disingenuous to his character and performance deliverables,” the CSNL added.