The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), under the Chairmanship of Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, has come against what many would consider the first litmus test to prove its independence, integrity and no-man stance in the fight against corruption, with the institution’s Vice Chairperson, Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, being hooked in a corruption web.
On Monday, August 30, 2021, the FrontPage Africa reported that a source had hinted it that Cllr. Gbala was a party in the Buchanan Port’s corruption scandal, allegedly owning 10% share in a company at the center of the episode.
On the same day, Cllr. Gbala requested for a one-month leave of absence, which he said was provoked by alleged conflict of interest the news report claimed he poses in the corruption investigation of the National Port Authority (NPA).
Cllr. Gbala, at a formal LACC Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting, filed his leave of absence to allow the investigation to proceed as planned.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Bill Tweahway, and NPA’s Deputy Comptroller, Christian Brownell, and other officials of the port authority had been scheduled to appear before the LACC for questioning; however, doing so in the face of Cllr. Gbala’s alleged involvement in the matter that the port leaders were being summon for and, at the same time, serving as an investigator, would have constituted a conflict of interest, which could have hampered the investigation.
However, upon receipt of Cllr. Gbala’s request, the Chairperson of the LACC, Cllr. Martin, convened an emergency meeting with the leaders of the Commission to discuss the allegation levied against their Vice Chairperson and make an informed decision regarding the matter.
Cllr. Martin informed newsmen in a press remarks on the same day that he, on behalf of the Commission, has accepted Cllr. Gbala’s request for a leave of absence.
The Executive Chairperson announced that the Commission has commenced an investigation into the grave allegation against its Vice Chairperson, which has the propensity to derail the progress they have made as a Commission in the last weeks. He said the Division of Investigation and Enforcement at the LACC has been mandated by him to move swiftly and investigate the matter, beginning yesterday.
He noted that the LACC has no problem with these kinds of reports as long as they are done professionally and within the ambit of the laws of the nation.
According to him, the Vice Chairperson has accepted to cooperate fully with the investigation in the matter why on leave.
Meanwhile, Chairman Martin has informed newsmen that, for the August term of court, the LACC has indicted several individuals as a consequence of an investigative report from a GAC audit. Those indicted, according him, include Oblayon B. Nyemah, former Director General, Liberia Institute of Public Administration (LIPA); Luna Harmon, former Comptroller, LIPA; and Baffor Quaye, Accountant, LIPA. He said they have been indicted for theft of property, economic sabotage, fraud of intended revenue for the Republic, misuse of public funds, theft and illegal expenditure of public funds, criminal facilitation and criminal conspiracy.
He noted that Dr. Marcus T. Jones, former Director General, Central Agriculture Research Institute (CARI); P. Findley, former Administrator, CARI; David Kemue, former Warehouse Supervisor, CARI, and Dr. Wiles, former DG, CARI, have also been indicted for forgery, counterfeiting, theft of property and economic sabotage.
Regarding the NPA corruption scandal, the LACC boss said investigation is on-going, and all those involved are cooperating. He maintained that all those who have escaped under the cover of darkness will be extradited, in keeping with law.