MONROVIA – The Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is not investigating Mr. Akin Akintende Ojo, Liberia’s Honorary Consul General to Mexico because it has not received any complaint on the desk of the Foreign Ministry.
According to Deputy Foreign Minister Henry Fahnbulleh, all that has being heard about diplomatic passport fraud are speculations and allegations without proof. However, he said the government of Liberia would act to save its image if there is proof that the position is being misused.
Mr. Ojo, a Nigerian, is alleged to be drug criminal who bribed his way through the George Weah-led government for the acquisition of a Liberian diplomatic passport and a diplomatic post, for the purpose of carrying out his drug deals under the protection of Liberia’s sovereignty.
FrontPageAfrica has, however, not independently verified this allegation.
Mr. Ojo has also refuted the allegation and claimed to be a business man who represents the interest of Liberia and West Africa in Mexico.
In a reaction to the allegation, the Liberian Consulate in Mexico’s website states that Mr. Ojo has been strengthening and pushing for Foreign Direct Investment in Africa, particularly Liberia.
Min. Fahnbulleh: “Making allegation is one thing and proving them is another. For us, we are moved by facts, if it is proven that whoever we entrusted with honorary counselor status is abusing them based on investigation we will not delay to withdraw them.
“Right now, we are not investigating anything because there is no complaint before us. We should do away with stereotyping. Once there is sufficient evidence this ministry would withdraw and prosecute whoever is involved.”
Fanhbulleh could not state whether or not the Government of Mexico has responded to their decision to assign honorary counsellor because according to him they have their policy and timing of doing their diplomacy.
“I am a career Foreign Service officer we are not the smartest but we are resourceful so we will attend ever function assign to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We will execute it to the letter. I went to Burkina Faso to grace an occasion of an honorary council. In my function as minister of foreign Affairs nothing preclude me from performing that function.”
Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, Minister Fahnbulleh also denied rumors about shortage of Liberian Passport but said, passports are currently being given out to Liberians based on proof of travel. According to him, it is being done that way due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We don’t have passport shortage but what is happening is that many people are not traveling due to the COVID-19 situation so what we are doing now is that if you want a passport, you should have a proof of travel, if not, we will schedule for next year,” he said.
Speaking further, he also told members of the media that before an appointment is considered, there are processes that must be certified and that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not sell passports. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs doesn’t sell or has a policy that supports or encourages the sales of passport. Anyone engaged in the sale of passport is in violation of the law and should be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“Diplomatic, official and service passport are privileges not rights. Determination are made on who is qualified to receive. Nothing precludes government from acting in its national interest. When information surface that there was something criminal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it wasn’t the FBI of NSA it was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a covert operation.”
Min. Fahnbulleh has challenged Mr. Andrew Wonplo, the former Director of Passports and Visas, to muster the courage to submit whatever evidence he has to the court to afford people involved the opportunity to explain themselves. “Those who are involved will go to explain themselves rather than engaging in a political assassination campaign. Muster the courage to use the court to submit those evidence so those involved will have the opportunity to defend themselves.
Not a Fugitive, Wonplo Says
Mr. Wonplo said Monday that contrary to perceptions and speculations, he has not fled Liberia. “They are saying, the man in Sierra Leone, the man in Guinea, the man in Ghana, the man in Gambia. I’m right here. You will not see me until I’m ready for you to see me.”
Mr. Wonplo says he has outsmarted the security sector, he says, is not sophisticated enough to find him. “I want to tell you that when it comes to security intel, we are sophisticated. You don’t have the manpower to pick me up in Liberia, no! Because I know your security. The security is not strong to get me, it’s not possible. But I want to be clear here. What I have observed is that if you are in disagreement with corrupt activities in Liberia, then you are seen as a corrupt man. If you are in line with corrupt activities in Liberia, you are the best man. Today, people are saying the man talking about thins because he wants to protect George Weah, that’s not the issue. As I said the last time, when you are in certain position in government, certain positions of trust, you listen more, talk less and not just talking less but talk at the appropriate time. This is the appropriate time.”
He said the ticking time bomb Liberia is currently sitting under is setting a dangerous precedent for the country’s future. “There are a lot more that we are to do as a country to liberate Liberia because these things I am saying here I’m clear of them. I’m discussing the life of my family, my own life, the life of my friends and also discussing the interest of those that believe in me and have followed me over the years.”
Wonplo Points to Revised Regulations
Mr. Wonplo says a lot of Liberians are missing the big picture and wrongly labeling him as the bad guy. “This is the argument, the people are not picking up here, fellow Liberians. If you wrote for an honorary council – and ask me to give him a passport and somebody come back and say, have you issued non-Liberian passports, and I say yes. Am I wrong? I am not wrong. I understand the applied terminology being used here. What these guys don’t want to agree here to is that those individuals that they offered the honorary consulship to they were not Liberians and so when issued them the diplomatic passports, they were non-Liberians that were receiving the diplomatic passport, this is the issue. And so, whether these people were vetted properly or they were not vetted properly, I don’t know.”
Mr. Wonplo averred that there are a lot of things that are interplay at the moment regarding the passport saga. “You people decided to come after me because of my refusal to join the cartel.”
‘They Misinformed the Americans’
The former Passport director says he has no reason to make up stories. “If you try to make up stories, the stories will not connect, and you will fall short. I am here to say nothing but the truth because I believe that it is only the truth now that can set me free because these guys decided to bother me.”
Mr. Wonplo added: “They came on me with all the mistakes they have made and have gone and misinformed the Americans, the international community and the Liberian people on grounds that Andrew Wonplo was the one that was involved in all of these illegal activities in the Republic of Liberia which is not true.”
Mr. Wonplo went on to name top associates of President Weah of being in the know of the sale of diplomatic passports. “As I said in my press release, I was not part of the committee, but meanwhile I was receiving instructions – and these instructions came from the higher-ups, I maintain. And who are they? Instructions to issue these passports came from the office of the President, it came from through individuals, the likes of Trokon Kpui, the likes of James Emmanuel Potter ofcourse the rescue mother, Nora Finda Bundoo and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Legal, Deweh Gray.”
Mr. Wonplo then threw out a challenge those named to counter what he has said. “Anything I say, anybody that want to come out, I challenge you because I know that I’m speaking with facts – and for every time I speak and you come up to challenge me, something will come out that you need to see. I am serious. I’ve said and I maintain, there was a criminal cartel, there was a team put together to start, plan and manage these activities when it comes to the issue of giving out diplomatic passport to non-Liberians.”