MONROVIA: Following recent statement by former President George Manneh Weah that the administration of Joseph Nyuma Boakai is ‘witch-hunting’ his former officials, former Auditor-General of Liberia, John S. Morlu II, blamed the former President for not prosecuting those who were audited and found accused of stealing the country’s money.
Former AG Morlu, in a lengthy write-up, after former President Weah’s statement, threatening political and legal resistance against the arrest and prosecution of some of his former officials by the Boakai Administration, accused ex-President George Weah and his erstwhile administration of engaging in criminal conspiracy to cover up corruption.
“Weah covered up a major economic crime. If any CDC member says he knows UP’s 12 years stole, he or she should be immediately arrested for economic conspiracy against Liberia and its poor people. This is the biggest economic crime conspiracy against Liberia by George Weah and his team, all because they wanted to steal as well,” Morlu asserted.
Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Weah accused the ruling Unity Party (UP) of exploiting the country’s legal system to prosecute his former officials after Monrovia City Court’s Magistrate, L. Ben Barco, denied the four ex-officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) administration lawyer’s petition for recognizance.
“For the UP administration to exploit our legal system and risk fomenting chaos, it tells you to what extent some politicians are willing to go just to maintain power. This is exactly the path that the CDC sought not to tread when it maintained the stability of the country against all odds, while spearheading a peaceful transition of power to President Boakai in spite of a hard-fought and close election,” the former Liberian leader told his supporters and partisans in Monrovia on July 31, 2024.
The Monrovia City Court arrested and jailed former Solicitor General of Liberia, Cllr. Nyenati Tuan; and former National Security Advisor to former President George Manneh Weah, Jefferson Karmoh, for multiple financial crimes.
The charges levied against the former state officials by the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) ranged from Economic Sabotage, Theft, to illegal disbursements and Expenditure of Public Money.
Weah said the arrest and incarceration of former officials of his administration for corruption without a formal indictment by grand jury is tantamount to a with-hunt.
But, in a detailed and scathing critique, authored over the weekend, former Auditor-General of Liberia, John Morlu, highlighted what he describes as a failure by Weah and his team to address and prosecute rampant corruption during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Morlu, who served as Auditor General during former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf’s administration, began by recounting the widespread allegations of corruption during Sirleaf and Boakai’s 12-year Presidency, which Weah and his Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), party once vocally condemned.
Former AG, Morlu, stated that US$1.23 billion was allegedly stolen during Sirleaf’s administration, an accusation that Weah’s government failed to thoroughly investigate despite public outcry and the CDC’s previous promises to fight corruption.
Morlu: “Weah and the CDC are admitting to covering up criminal corrupt acts, hoping JNB would also cover it up.”
Morlu quoted an astute Liberian who once wrote that “Ellen’s people are panicking. They had a quid pro quo with CDC not to audit. When they squeeze Tweah, he will talk!”
According to Morlu, Weah and nearly all CDC members are in “regret mode.”
They are internally attacking each other for convincing Weah not to audit Sirleaf and Boakai’s 12 years of “gross corruption.”
“Sirleaf admitted on her parting note that her biggest regret was not fighting corruption as hard as she could, leaving the country deeply corrupted,” Morlu indicated in the Writeup.
According to him, Weah, upon assuming office, initially agreed to investigate and prosecute those involved in corrupt activities during Sirleaf’s tenure.
However, he alleges that Weah quickly reversed course, influenced by key advisors and officials within his administration.
Morlu claimed that former Justice Minister Musah Dean supported investigations into potential fraud that could have recovered up to US$600 million for Liberia, but Dean ultimately failed to follow through, purportedly out of fear and weakness.
Morlu also points to internal discord within the CDC, with members reportedly regretting their decision to refrain from auditing Sirleaf’s administration.
He mentions that former Finance Minister Emmanuel Shaw, former legal advisor to Weah, Archie Bernard, and others advised against pursuing investigations, ultimately leading to selective prosecution.
“For example,” Morlu added, “while Sirleaf’s son Charles Sirleaf (deceased), and former Central Bank Governor Milton Weeks were arrested over the LD$16 billion scandal, former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah was left untouched” despite allegations surrounding a US$25 million “mop-up” exercise.
“Justice Minister Musa Dean supported two of the fraud investigations because they would have given Liberia a potential $600 million windfall to be conducted by a Portuguese forensic team with a Liberian team from the government, as it was a highly specialized area.
But, former Minister Dean was too weak and afraid to push through and insist on the investigations as the Justice Minister. He chickened out and went into hiding.”
Morlu: “Today, new information from inside CDC indicated Emmanuel Shaw, Archie Bernard, and others, discouraged going after Ellen. But with pressure on him, Weah was eventually forced to arrest Sirleaf’s son and Governor Weeks over the LD$16 billion scandal, while leaving Tweah untouched in his unorthodox US$25 million mop-up exercise, where they doled out millions to fictitious money changers, as per GAC reports. Boakai must not repeat Weah’s mistakes by having untouchables.”
Former AG Morlu, in the Writeup, also recounted his personal interaction with ex-President Weah, who sought his assistance in leading an Asset Recovery Team.
However, Morlu stipulated as a condition that Weah publicly disclose the sources of funds for his controversial 40-unit housing complex.
He narrated that this demand tested Weah’s commitment to transparency, leading to a cessation of the discussions.
The former Auditor General: “Strangely, with pressure mounting on his failure to fight corruption, I received a call from President Weah in the presence of Koijee, Tweah, and Archie Bernard, who asked for permission to put me on speaker. I told him I wanted nothing to do with Sam Tweah due to his previous insults in the CBL independence debate. Nevertheless, Weah asked me to head his Asset Recovery Team. I told him it was a difficult and time-consuming task and suggested putting together a Terms of Reference (ToR), outlining rights, responsibilities, deliverables, leadership, etc., for me to see and consider. He agreed, and his legal advisor Bernard was to draft it. However, Bernard called, saying he couldn’t find a standard template. I informed him that, except for Nigeria, there was no boilerplate ToR, so I worked with a few Liberians and the World Bank’s stolen asset initiative to draft the ToR and gave it to Bernard. In it, I demanded as a pre-condition that Weah disclosed publicly where he got the funds to build his 40-unit complex. It seemed a nonstarter; I was testing his sincerity and commitment.”
The former auditor general concludes by calling for accountability, emphasizing that the public outrage should be directed at Weah rather than Boakai, who was Sirleaf’s Vice President.
He stressed that “Weah’s decision to cover up the corruption of the previous administration constitutes a significant dereliction of duty and an economic crime against Liberia.”
Morlu expresses frustration with the culture of impunity and corruption that has persisted in Liberia, advocating for a “revolution led by honest professionals to end the cycle of graft and mismanagement.”
Morlu: “In fact, the public outcry should be against Weah, not Boakai. Weah is not seeking peace and democracy. He wants Boakai to cover up for him as he did with Sirleaf. I am now more angered at Weah and CDC for blatantly covering up such massive looting of the state. Weah should not hold any public office for covering up a crime he was aware of,” Morlu advised.
At the same time, in an apparent reaction to former President Weah and his Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) recent statement against the government’s action to prosecute former officials indicted by government, President Boakai, at a cabinet meeting over the weekend, instructed Justice Minister, Cllr. J. Oswald Tweh, to take swift action against corruption.
President Boakai told the Justice Minister to prosecute individuals identified in the recent LACC audit reports without hesitation.
“Do not be afraid, Minister of Justice. Just make sure you do the right things to bring them to justice,” President Boakai further instructed.
The President reiterated that his administration would relentlessly pursue those who have looted state resources, reinforcing his commitment to accountability and transparency.
“We will run after them and bring them to justice even if they call it witch-hunt but the Liberian people will appreciate it,” he affirmed.
