Monrovia – Cllr. M. Wilkins Wright, former Solicitor General, fell short of professional responsibilities by releasing the passport of Joshua V. Samuels, an Indian national and a suspect in a human trafficking case, according to the Special Investigative committee set up by President Sirleaf to probe the absconding of Samuels from Liberia.
“Cllr. Wright knew or should have known that the retrieval of Joshua Samuels’ passport was intended for his travel,” said the committee in its report which has now been obtained by FrontPageAfrica.
The committee, headed by the Former Minister of State of Presidential Affairs, Senator Conmany Wisseh, investigated the former Solicitor General and Deputy Minister alongside officials of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization and Indian Honorary Consul General in Liberia, Upjit Sachdeva, also known as Jeety.
The investigation was based on a letter written by the then Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. Christiana P. Tah, to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, requesting that an independent body be set up to ascertain how suspect Samuels absconded as several officials in the Ministry were linked, including then Solicitor General M. Wilkins Wright and Deputy Minister for Administration and Public Safety, Freddie Taylor amongst others.
Samuels, an Indian national, was arrested on September 4, 2012, following the busting of an alleged human trafficking ring by officers of the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization. Following the raid two suspects, Joshua V. Samuels and Mohammed Ilyias, were arrested and their passports were confiscated.
They were subsequently arrested and charged by the Bureau of Immigration team headed by Col. Wilson Garpeh, Sr., then Director of Border Management. Suspect Mohammed was tried in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County and convicted while suspect Samuels was scheduled to be tried in Monrovia, Montserrado County.
“While the suspect, was awaiting trial, Col Garpeh informed Col. Robert Budy, the Deputy Commissioner for Operations, in January 2012, that Hon. Freddie Taylor, Deputy Minister for Justice for Administration and Public Safety, and Cllr. M. Wilkins Wright, Solicitor General of Liberia, were interested in Samuels’ passport based on an appeal made by the Indian Honorary Consul in Liberia, Upjit Schdeva, to sign for the passport of Joshua Samuels to allow him (Samuels) to seek medical treatment abroad due to heart disease and would turn him over to the BIN if he (Samuels) were needed for his trial,” says the report.
Giving the position of Cllrs. Wright and Taylor, Deputy Immigration Commissioner Budy released the passport of the suspect to the then officials of the Ministry of Justice.
“The passport was delivered by Col. Garpeh to Deputy Minister Taylor, somewhere between February 5-10, 2013. This estimation is based on the testimonies of Col. Garpeh and Deputy Minister Taylor.”
The passport was subsequently given to the Indian Consul General to facilitate the travel of Samuels out of Liberia “to seek medical treatment.”
Going further, the report vindicated the Indian Consul General of any alleged role played in the ordeal.
“In reviewing the facts and circumstances of this case in light of the President’s mandate (evidence of human trafficking), the Committee did not find evidence of human trafficking or any crime on the part of Mr. Jetty,” the report mentioned.
The report says the Indian Consul General, acting in pursuit of an instruction from the Indian Government through the embassy in Abidjan, requested the Liberian Government through the Ministry of Justice for assistance to have Joshua Samuels—an Indian citizen—to seek medical assistance abroad.
It further lays the blame at former Solicitor General Wilkins Wright and Deputy Justice Minister Freddie Taylor for being derelict in their respective portfolios.
“It was the duty of the officials of the Liberian Government to have taken measures to ensure the return of Mr. Samuels to Liberia for trial,” said the report.
Henry Karmo (0886522495) [email protected]