MONROVIA: Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, former Solicitor General of Liberia, has formally written President George Manneh Weah that Liberia’s current democratic gains which culminated into his (Weah’s) recent decision to graciously concede defeat in a free, fair and competitive contest, “are being grossly undermined.”
According to Cllr. Cephus, such gains are being undermined by the current waves of economic sanctions being imposed by the United States Treasury Department on a number of officials in his (Weah’s) government.
Cephus further told incumbent President Weah in said communication that his government is on the verge of leaving power with a horde of falsely decorated “corrupt officials.”
The former Solicitor General suspects that it is something that “will not only obviously overshadow Liberia’s current democratic credentials on the world stage but could later hunt and hurt you” (President Weah) “so badly that your future bid, (if will ever happen again), for the highest office in this country could become a laughing stock.”
Cephus: As I indicated from the onset, and which obviously led you to receive a counter advice from your Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean to “Play Low”, and let the sanctioned officials including me “cry their own cry,” this thing is getting serious, and it is all happening around you, and yet, there is no action taken, which is why every sanctioned official looks like a “convicted criminal” although without trial.
He beseeched President Weah to immediately commission a Panel of International Experts, chair by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and co-chair by a Liberian, and should be drawn from the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), the African Bar, the European Criminal Bar Association ((ECBA), the International Criminal Court (ICC), and at least retired officials from the United States (US) Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and an observer from the African Union (AU), to investigate these sanctions against not just mere individuals in your government but core officials of your government.
“Your Excellency, I am totally innocent of what I was accused of, but my mere denial or dismissal of these allegations, as in the case of other officials, is not sufficient to set me free or to set anyone free, until I can have “my day in court” which is a cardinal constitutional benchmark of due process under Liberian law.
Former SG: I trust that your Excellency will not again sweep this suggestion under the carpet because I believe, and which is now true, that the proverbial “town trap” is not for rat alone.
Cephus to President Weah: “How sad is it that so many “rats” have been caught, and others are apprehensive and jittery, and scurrying for cover because they do not know where the “chips may fall” next, is a crude lesson that we all must learn as we await our fate!
The US Department of Treasury travel restriction on Senate Pro-Tempore, Albert T. Chie, and Senator J. Emmanuel Nuguay of Margibi County and Samuel D. Tweah, Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs for their alleged involvement in “significant corruption” by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity.
“Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the United States is publicly designating Tweah, Chie, and Nuquay, for their involvement in significant corruption by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity.
“ As part of this action, their immediate family members are also designated, including their spouses Delecia Berry Tweah, Abigail Chie, and Ruthtoria Brown Nuquay, and Tweah and Nuquay’s minor children”, the Statement of designation from the US Department of Treasury said.
Additionally, on December 8, the United States Treasury Department designated the Mayor of Monrovia, Jefferson Koijee, pursuant to E.O. 13818 for engaging, or having been a leader of an entity that has engaged in serious human rights abuse and corruption.
The US Treasury Department: “In addition to serious human rights abuse, Koijee engaged in corrupt acts, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets and pressuring anti-corruption investigators to halt all corruption investigations.”
Following the designations of those government officials, some key executives of the CDC, including Major Koijee, have attributed the US actions to “Witch-hunt” and “conspiracy.” Koijee has also denied any wrongdoing.
