Editorial: The Administration, Opposition’s Rugged Course In The Quest For Transparency And Accountability
ON MONDAY, JULY 29, 2024 the Monrovia City Court issued a writ of arrest for several ex-officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government, including the former Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Samuel Tweah, Jr., former Acting Minister of Justice, Cllr. Nyenati Tuan, former Director of the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), Stanley S. Ford, former Comptroller of FIA, D. Moses P. Cooper, and former National Security Advisor, Jefferson Karmoh, for the alleged commission of economic sabotage, misuse of public money, property or record, theft and/or illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money, theft of property, criminal facilitation and criminal conspiracy.
ACCORDING TO THE writ, the plaintiff, LACC, alleged that in an elaborate scheme and conspiracy to defraud the Government of Liberia (GOL), in July 2023 the defendants conspired with co-defendant Stanley S. Ford and made him a member of the National Security Council of Liberia, in total violation and contravention of the National Security Act of Liberia. Subsequently thereafter, at various times in September 2023, the defendants, in carrying out their diabolical scheme and conspiracy and under the false pretense of discharging their duties as officials of the Joint Security of Liberia, unauthorizedly, criminally, willfully, illegally, knowingly and maliciously, with the intent to defraud the Government of Liberia, stole and converted to their own use and benefit, and did conspire, collude and made to be transferred, from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to the operational accounts of the FIA the amounts of L$1,055,152,540.00 and US$500,000. The amounts of L$1,055,145,040.00 and US$500,000 were subsequently withdrawn either on the same day of the transfer or few days thereafter, without any indication or record of how the amounts were disbursed or utilized by the Joint Security of Liberia, in complete and total violations of the New Panel Law of Liberia.
BUT THE RESPONSE of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) suggests that the Boakai administration and the opposition may be on a headlong course in the quest for transparency and accountability. Speaking during a press conference held at the CDC headquarter on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, former President Weah said, “Mr. Boakai, your actions to politicize justice will be resisted and resisted strongly. The Unity Party government, in the execution of their evil plans, choose to ignore legal and Constitutional reliance, available evidence, and pursue reckless measures. The Unity Party must be reminded that these antics have only brought about disorder and confusion in Liberia’s recent history.”
FORMER PRESIDENT WEAH accused the Boakai administration of ordering heavily armed security personnel to carry out a series of what he called unlawful detentions of some former officials of government on Monday, July 29, 2024, in what he sees as a political move intended to target the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) and the wider opposition community. Those detained included four former members of the National Security Council.
ACCORDING TO HIM, “The action was taken void of any indictment by a grand jury. This is the latest transgression of the Boakai administration in their callous attempt to undermine the rule of law and security of the state.