MONROVIA – The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) says it did not stop Mr. Henry Costa from traveling, however, the LIS has informed Mr. Costa and his lawyer, Cllr. Kangar Findley, that he cannot leave the country until the Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean, reveals his statement and report pertaining to how he attained the laissez passé.
Speaking with FrontPageAfrica he was invited by the LIS to make a statement and was held at the LIS headquarters in Monrovia from 10:am to 2:15pm before any attention was paid him.
He said the Immigration officers confirmed that the laissez passé booklet is authentic and there was absolutely legal for him to have been out of the country and requested a laissez passé. He said, he was also informed that it is legal to own a passport and travel on laissez passé.
“They asked me to make a statement and then my lawyer, Cllr. Findley Kangar to sign for me. What does that mean? I’ve made arrangements to leave travel tomorrow but they said I cannot leave until the Minister of Justice had reviewed the report.”
– Henry Costa, Chairman, Council of Patriots
However, according to him, he was informed that though the booklet is authentic, the signature and stamp on it were forged. Therefore, his assistance was needed for the investigation as to who issued the booklet.
“They asked me to make a statement and then my lawyer, Cllr. Findley Kangar to sign for me. What does that mean? I’ve made arrangements to leave travel tomorrow but they said I cannot leave until the Minister of Justice had reviewed the report,” Costa told FrontPageAfrica.
The LIS on Friday denied preventing Costa from traveling after reports emerged Costa, a fierce critic of the George Weah-led administration, was stopped from leaving Liberia for the United States.
According to the LIS, Mr. Costa initially checked in on SN Brussels flight # 245 but he did not approach immigration and present his travel document as is routine for all travelers.
“LIS says while it has received reports that Mr. Costa entered Liberia using forged travel documents, it did not arrest, stop nor accost him at the airport as he did not present himself to immigration officers,” the LIS release stated on Friday.
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