By Matthew Derby Jr.
MONROVIA/FREETOWN: In what appears to be a scheme to cover up the suspected shady business deeds of Mr. Hajj Hamid Fawaz, believed to be Hezbollah financier and international fraudster, a local media outlet in Sierra Leone has praised him, and subsequently denounced Fawaz’s alleged fraudulent activities in both Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The publication on the GLOBAL TIMES’ website seems to be an attempt to evade the real issues regarding the purported setting up of two companies with the names: Africa Land Liberia and Africa Land Sierra Leone.
The two companies, have reportedly dubiously sold the carbon credit emissions of the Gola Forest between the two countries on the London Stock Exchange, accumulating a staggering sum of US$24.9 Million.
Documentary sources available to The ‘Investigative’ INDEPENDENT had it that both Liberia and Sierra Leone did not benefit from the accrued US$24.9m.
Fawaz runs a chain of businesses across Liberia and Sierra Leone, owning 20% shares in Africa Land Sierra Leone as well.
His controversial business dealings came to public attention as a result of a court trial in the United Kingdom, involving one Robert Mckendrick and a number of individuals believed to be international fraudsters.
Fawaz and others are accused of illegally selling the Gola Forest Carbon credit emissions between the two nations and duping a number of unsuspecting investors.
Documents obtained by this paper show that Fawaz owns a 20% share of Africa Land- Sierra Leone, after a ‘written confession’ made to the Sierra Leone-CID by one Robert Mckendrick, who identified Hajj Hamid Fawaz as the mastermind behind the illegal sale of the carbon credit emissions of the Gola Forest.
The British Court convicted Africa Land Sierra Leone for the theft of the carbon credit and the duping of investors.
The London Court also ordered that all assets belonging to the shareholders and executives of Africa Land, wherever found, be confiscated and sold to compensate investors who were duped in the scam.
However, Global Times online described Fawaz as a ‘good businessman.’
The Sierra Leone based online publication woefully ignored the fact that Hajj Hamid Fawaz was arrested before and his home searched and documents seized in connection with the confession made by Robert Mckendrick, that indicated that he (Fawaz) owns 20% share in Africa Land whose properties are listed by the British Court for confiscation.
The investigation also revealed a British Bank account at Barclay’s said to be owned by Fawaz, the alleged international fraudster-cum-good businessman by the online media group’s standard.
The activities of Fawaz and his alleged collaborators are being closely monitored by the US Treasury Department investigators and other international security organizations.
Fawaz businesses are thought to be the conduits through which money is transferred to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hajj Hamid Fawaz runs a chain of businesses in around Liberia, that include Building Material Centers on Randall Street and ELWA Junction in Paynesville. He does business in Liberia, most of which generated funds are smuggled out of Liberia to Sierra Leone.
This paper has obtained series of documentations that indicated among others that Fawaz purchased a penthouse in London as report of carbon credit came to light, and surreptitiously set up a helicopter Port near the Liberian-Sierra Leone border under the pretext of operating a Cocoa Nursery Plantation.
Informed security sources suspect that the Cocoa Nursery Plantation is being used to carry out other criminal activities including ferrying or transporting suspected Hezbollah remnants back and forth between Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Sometime ago, security forces from the State House in Sierra Leone raided Fawaz’s home and seized a number of documents.
Via the documents, it was detected that Fawaz is involved in fraudulent activities across the borders of the two countries.
Some Sierra Leone security sources hinted that they will like to extend their investigation across the border with the help of the Liberian authorities to put to end to what they described as the ‘criminal empire’ of Hajj Hamid Fawaz.
The paper has gathered that some past officials were contacted and given details about Hajj Hamid Fawaz’s suspected criminal activities including his suspected connection to Hezbollah based in Lebanon for a possible joint investigation by Liberia and Sierra Leone.
