The Editor,
What is her role, and what did Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf know and when did she know it? This is the million-dollar question that she must answer to the Liberian people. Below are excerpts from the Global Witness report: “Now with commodity prices at record levels, it (Wologizi) was bound to be snapped up.
Sable shouldn’t risk bidding in an open tender (bid),” Varney Sherman told them (Sable Mining)……a new Public Procurement and Concession Act (law) was on its way through the (Liberian) Parliament. By bribing the right people, Sable could get a loophole inserted allowing it to win the mountain without a (public) tender, said Varney Sherman, according to a person familiar with the scheme.
“By August 2010….the Wologizi gambit was at a critical juncture: the PPCC Act was close to being made law and it looked as if months of painstakingly targeted bribery were about to pay off.
“She Approved”
“We finally got the Revised PPCC Act completed,” Belleh wrote to Sherman on August 6, 2010. “The Minister of Justice and I met with the President (Ellen Johnson Sirleaf) last night and reviewed areas of concerns to her. She approved. The document has been forwarded to the National Legislature. It is expected to be fast-tracked.”
“This is good news, “wrote Sherman, forwarding Belleh email to Sable.
“You Will Be Milked Like A Cow” (If You) Over bribe
“There were hiccups, though. On 7 August, the head of Sable’s Liberian operation, Heine van Niekerk, emailed Sherman with news of a worrying phone call. It seemed Alex Tyler was unhappy with his $75,000.00 payment: the Speaker had rung (telephoned) to say that getting the Act through the Senate would cost US$250,000.00,” van Neikerrk told lawyer Varney Sherman. Sherman was alarmed that Sable might over-bribe.
“Heine, don’t do that please!” He replied that evening. “You will be milked like a cow.”- Excerpts from the Global Witness report appropriately titled, “The Deceivers.”
Now you understand why Senator Varney Sherman was strongly opposed to any review of the so-called concession agreements by his colleagues in the Liberian Senate. Sherman was the consummate deal maker lawyer for most of the so-called “foreign investors” who President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was fond of praising for having “invested $20 billion” into the Liberian economy.
We all know the omission of the names of “Big Boy 01” and “Big Boy 02” who each got $250,000.00 was carefully done so as not create panic, hysteria and political chaos in Liberia as we approach the pivotal 2017 Presidential elections. They will have their day in court sooner or later even after they leave office.
The confidential GW report in the possession of US and British authorities is more comprehensive than the version released Wednesday as US regulators and investigators worked with Global Witness.
President Barack Obama has reportedly directed US Secretary of State John Kerry to turn the heat on the Sirleaf regime to hold accountable ALL involved in this criminal enterprise. And folks, you bet I know both Big Boys 01 and 02 and the money was funneled to them through their conduits so that their names don’t appear on any money transactions paper trail, and we know the name/names of the conduits.
This is the straw that will break the backs of these corrupt politicians in Liberia. They can run now but this is it. Da me say so because Uncle Sam is getting to the bottom of this cronyism. Enough of this bull s_ _t.
Jerry Wehtee Wion,
Journalist and Political Commentator,
Washington, DC, USA