MONROVIA – The head of the Asset Recovery Team, Cllr. Arthur Johnson has tendered in his resignation to Solicitor General Sayma Syrenius Cephus, citing lack of political will to fight corruption in Liberia.
In his resignation letter, a copy of which FrontPageAfrica has obtained, Cllr. Johnson stated:
“I am so constrained to tender in my resignation from the position of Chairman of the Assets Investigation Restitution and Recovery Team (AIRReT) due to the fact that my anticipation and perception about the fight against corruption is not achieving its objectives. I expected that there will be a “WILL” in the fight against corruption but this belief of mine had proven to be an illusion, and therefore, I cannot continue to risk my career and reputation.”
Cllr. Johnson in his resignation further disclosed that he is withdrawing from all government cases to include Republic of Liberia versus Brownie J. Samukai, Joseph Johnson, and Nyuma Dorkor which is presently before the Criminal Court “C’” for Montserrado County.
“I am willing to serve my country at any time but in my private capacity as a lawyer,” he stated in the resignation letter.
Cllr. Johnson told FrontPageAfrica on Tuesday evening that it is disheartening that he and his colleagues on the team have not been paid for about nine months which undermines the fight against corruption.
“I am so constrained to tender in my resignation from the position of Chairman of the Assets Investigation Restitution and Recovery Team (AIRReT) due to the fact that my anticipation and perception about the fight against corruption is not achieving its objectives. I expected that there will be a “WILL” in the fight against corruption but this belief of mine had proven to be an illusion, and therefore, I cannot continue to risk my career and reputation.”
– Cllr. Arthur Johnson
“I cannot continue working for them when they are not paying me. I have investigators, including international investigators and they all have not been paid, how do they continue working?” he asked rhetorically.
He said, ARReT has also not received the full cooperation of government institutions and officials in gathering evidence for the retrieval of government assets.
The Asset Investigation, Restitution and Recovery Team is charged with the responsibility of investigating, restituting and subsequently recovering funds that were embezzled, and misappropriated from the Liberian government as revealed by reports by the General Auditing Commission, (GAC) and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
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