Monrovia – FrontPageAfrica has discovered a massive scam of ordinary citizens by two members of the Liberian Legislature.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
Representatives Thomas Fallah (CDC-District #5 Montserrado County) and Senator Dallas Gweh (PUP-River Cess County), who are linked to the allegations, have denied any connections.
According to reports, Rep. Fallah and Senator Gueh, who then chaired the Committee on Maritime at the House of Representatives and in the Senate, conned more the five citizens into believing that they could help them travel to Australia and the United States under the Maritime Committee on official passports.
According to our investigation, the two lawmakers have been allegedly collecting money from Liberians for trips on their respective committees to the United States and Australia.
Senator Gueh is said to have collected over US$1,800 from one Musa Donzo in 2016, who was informed by his brother that the Senator had traveling opportunity to the US.
“I went to him and he consented. The trip should have being last year October but it coincided with the US elections. Contrary to what my brother told me, I paid US$500 in cash.
“Dallas Gweh himself received the money from me in the Veep’s cafeteria in the Capitol Building.”
“After weeks, he informed me that the US State Department had canceled the program only to be later informed that he traveled.”
“Whatever caused the program not to work I was not told. When I noticed insincerity, I demanded my money and he paid in two installments after several intimidating text messages.
“This is corruption; these are things happening in many sectors of government. They use these means to extort money knowing that the programs will not work.”
But Gweh denied knowing Donzo and that he has not received any invitation for foreign travel since he took over as chair on the Committee.
“There has never, ever been any invitation extended to the Maritime Committee since I assumed the authority as chairmanship. I don’t know any Musa Donzo; I have not received money from anyone for trip.”
Like Gweh, Rep. Fallah has also been accused of the same scheme. It is alleged that he collected between US$1,800 to US$2,500 from each of his victims for the celebration of Liberia’s independence in Australia.
The Montserrado District 5 Representative is also said to have collected US$500 from his victims for official passports for the trip under the canopy of the victims being government officials.
This newspaper was further informed that the scam was being carried out with the acquiescence of a former president of the Liberian Association in Australia.
FPA understands that some of the victims come under pressure under the pretense of delaying the process and they are forced to sell out some valuables including lands, just to raise the money. They only realize later that they have been scammed.
One of Rep. Fallah’s alleged victims, Yaya Sekou Dorley, said in 2016 he was told by the lawmaker that he had helped 19 people to travel to Australia.
“Rep. Fallah told me to pay US$600 for official passport but I begged. I told him that I had US$400; he refused and said that he would only accept US$500,” Dorley narrated.
“After few days, I was taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to get an official passport. Three months later, I was informed that the program was about to kick up and that I needed to pay US$1,000. “
“I was pressured so much so that I had to sell my parcel of land I had bought US$1,200 in the Bernard farm area for US$800.”
“I had hoped that once I travel things would get better and I would buy a new one. Disappointingly, I sold my land for less than the amount I bought it.”
Two other victims, Adam Swary and Sekou Koroma, explained similar stories and are requesting the lawmaker to pay back their monies.”
“They claimed that he has only paid US$700 each to them as part payment out of more than US$2,000 he allegedly received from them.
Adam Swary: “He promised to give us fifty percent of our money; we were in the discussion until he took his Agriculture Break.”
“When he returned, we pressured him until he paid the first installments of US$300 each. On the second installment, he paid US$400 each.
“We didn’t go to the media during the campaign because it would have been interpreted that we were being used by his opponents.”
“Thank God the elections are over and he won his district. I want him to be honorable enough to pay back our balance monies.”