Monrovia – The former Director-General of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), who resigned his post Monday, October 21, has left the country despite a government travel ban.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian, [email protected]
Nyenswah’s departure from the country was made known through a communication written to the presiding Judge of Criminal Court “C’, Blamo Dixon.
The letter was under the signature of Acting Commissioner General of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), Moses Yebleh, a copy of which is in the possession of FrontPageAfrica.
Commissioner Yebleh was responding to Judge Dixon’s writ of Ne-exeat Republica, a court order stopping Nyenswah from leaving the country because he was being investigated for alleged corruption.
Wrote Yebleh: “We have the honor most respectfully to present our compliments and acknowledged receipt of the Writ of Ne-exeat Republica against Tolbert Nyenswah, Director General National Public Health Institute as Defendant not to leave the bailiwick of the Republic of Liberia in a case crime theft of property based upon the complaint filed by the Republic of Liberia thru the Ministry of Justice.”
The communication further that the writ was received on Friday, October 18, 2019 at 15:12 “and dispatched to all of our border points of entry, regrettably we received confirmed information from our RIA Detail that Nyenswah departed Liberia via RIA on Friday, October 16, 2019 at 14:30 with Air Cote D’Iviore Flight no.HF-750”.
Judge Dixon had issued the writ on October 18 based on a request by the Ministry of Justice, which claimed the resigned NPHIL Boss was charged with theft of property and was therefore restricted from leaving the country.
“I have no evidence in my possession that Nyenswah has left the country, all I know is that a writ of Ne-exeat Republica has been issued on him but if it is established that he has left the country those responsible will be blame.”
– Monsterrado County Attorney Edwin Martin
The writ: “You are further commanded to arrest the living body of Mr. Tolbert Nyenswah respondent/Defendant and cause him to make his formal appearance in court.”
However, addressing reporters on the matter Wednesday, Monsterrado County Attorney Edwin Martin denied issuing any writ of arrest for the former NPHIL boss. He said only a writ preventing him from travelling was filed.
County Attorney Martin stated that the Assets Recovery Restitution Team (ARRT) set up by the Government to recover “Government’s stolen monies” was interested in investigating Nyenswah for alleged misuse of public funds.
“I have no evidence in my possession that Nyenswah has left the country, all I know is that a writ of Ne-exeat Republica has been issued on him but if it is established that he has left the country those responsible will be blame,” said County Attorney Martin.
“Let me tell the Liberian people that this action is not a witch-hunt as it is being perceived by some Liberians, the action is for people to account for missing public funds.”
Nyenswah, who served in several key positions of the health sectors during the regime of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, is best remembered for his fight against the outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus in the country back in 2014.