Monrovia – An investigation into the court check scandal involving Sheriff Major Helena N. Williams, an employee of the Ministry of Justice assigned to the National Labor Court has revealed that there was no foul play as being speculated in some local dailies and in many quarters.
It was reported in the Monday, June 20, 2016 edition of the Daily Observer newspaper Vol. 16. No. 661 titled “Court Officer’s Role in US$33K Check Scandal Exposed”, that Sheriff Williams received and cashed the check at the First International Bank (now GN Bank) main office on Broad Street.
The Ministry of Justice began its probe, according to the Wednesday, June 22, 2016 vol. 16 no. 663 back page lead captioned “MOJ Probes Sheriff Williams for Missing US$33K Check”.
“The US$33K check was intended as the final payment on an amount of US$240K owed former Baptist Theology [Theological] Seminary President Dr. Lincoln Brownell”.
Cllr. F. Musah Dean and Cllr. Nicholas Edward of Dean & Associates represented the legal interest of Dr. Brownell.
Since Dr. Brownell won the National Labor Court case against the Management of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary in November 2011, the seminary delayed in making the payment.
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) probe revealed that four checks were issued by and in the interest of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary on December 11, 2013, February 4th and 10th 2014 to meet the 25% beginning legal requirement payment of fifty eight thousand (US$58,000.00).
The second closure of the seminary by the court took place on the 4th of February for failure to meet payment stipulation of 2011.
The payments were made as followed: Two checks on Baptist Seminary LBDI account check numbers 77363 and 77368 totaling US$25,000.00 cleared, and two FIB (now GN Bank) checks numbers 486808 and 486812 totaling US$33,000.00 written on the 4th and 10th of February 2014 by Ricks Institute on behalf of Baptist Seminary were returned by FIB due to insufficient funds (bounced).
The sheriff returned the checks to the sender, the Baptist Seminary on the 10th of February. Ricks Institute reissued one check number 486814 dated Feb. 13, 2014 to replace the two insufficient funds’ checks.
Total amount of $58,000 were received by Dean& Associates, Dr. Brownell and the legal system and the seminary was ordered reopened.
The investigation further established that Sheriff Williams humanly erred to photocopy check in question 486814 and file appropriate photocopy in the Office of the National Labor Court while Her Honor Judge Comfort S. Natt was on sick leave.
Hence, three years down the road, the tallying of records in the Judge’s Office did not match that of the Sheriff nor the Baptist Seminary’s spreadsheet. Therefore, the Judge having been patient and lenient in the payment stipulation with six violations by the Seminary ordered the Seminary closed for the fifth time until full payment have been made and the eight-year-labor matter resolved.
The investigation further revealed from the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary’s records presented to the National Court Judge that a check of US$11,000.00 from the Liberia Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Inc. (LBM&EC) could not be accounted for.
Hence, the Resident Judge Natt asked for clarity. The check in question marked 2014 from LBMEC had no date, no payee, no check number, and no voucher number.
Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull (the fourth hired lawyer) representing the legal interest of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary prayed that the National Labor Court Judge, Her Honor Judge Natt, not to close the Seminary as usual to avoid another shame and disgrace over the US$11,000.00 in question.
Cllr. Bull in July, 2016 agreed that the Baptist Seminary would pay the reconciled balance of US$5,240.00 – Thus, avoiding the rate of writ of execution of the 8th day of June 2016.
Following much delay in the probe during June, July and August of the US$11,000.00 and the payment of the US$5,240.00, Dr. Olu Q. Menjay, President of the LBMEC and Principal of Ricks Institute issued a UBA Ricks Institute check of US$5,240.00 dated August 31, 2016.
Again, the check could not be cashed due to insufficient funds. Early on the 2nd of September, the same check could not be cashed again as a result of the irregular signature of Dr. Menjay.
Authority of UBA head office on Board Street finally encashed the check and subsequent payment made to Dr. Brownell on September 5, 2016.
Findings show that the Office of the Solicitor General of Liberia intervened because the sheriff assigned to the National Labor Court is an employee of the Ministry of Justice. Sheriff Williams was placed on suspension during the investigation and has now been cleared of any malpractice.
The Sheriff has also received a strong warning in the discharge of her duties.
Meanwhile the investigation shows that Her Honor Judge Natt, Resident Judge of the National Labor Court, has worked with distinction for over 15 years in the judiciary. Judge Natt is held in high esteem and it is regrettable that during her sick leave such a human error would have occurred.
In a related development, the investigation also uncovered that Dr. Lincoln Brownell who served as the first black and first Liberian President of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary did not receive US$300,000.00 as being falsely and misleadingly alleged by Cllr. Rosemarie B. James and Cllr. Emmanuel B. James before His Honor Peter W. Gbeneweleh, Assigned Circuit Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court during the “LBTS Versus Lincoln S. Brownell is called for hearing motion to dismiss action of damages for wrong,” case, 13th May A.D. 2016.
The investigation also disclosed, Dr. Olu Menjay who initially claimed in the Tuesday, June 28, 2016 edition of the Daily Observer newspaper vol. 16 No. 667, where he declared “I have long settled the financial obligation”, is completely a false and misleading as evident by the recent payment of five thousand two hundred forty United States dollars (US$5,240.00) under his signature.
Besides, Dr. Menjay also engaged in widespread statement of claim on the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary Facebook page that the Seminary did not owe Dr. Brownell. Transparency of both Dr. Menjay and Dr. Richard Wilson, Interim President of the Seminary were brought into focus.
On the other hand, the investigation also found that Monday, June 20, 2016 edition of Front Page Africa vol. 10 no. 115, where Dr. Richard Wilson, Interim President of the Liberia Baptist Theological Seminary claimed: “…the intention of Dr. Brownell was to bring embarrassment to him (Richard Wilson) and the entire seminary.
He added that the seminary has from the beginning been resolved to do the right thing…” Dr. Wilson further noted: “he was never in anyway embarrassed because of Dr. Brownell lawsuit against him…. When you are in the right you can be confident that you are in the right…”
The records gathered show that Dr. Brownell who contributed to the building of the seminary cannot bring it to public disrepute.
Neither did he file a lawsuit against Richard Wilson, a US citizen, who arrived in Liberia in February 2014 as Interim President following the LBTS Presidency of: Rev. Arnold Hill and Rev. Toby Gbeh and Dr. Tidi Speare Stewart. It has been established that it was the management of the seminary who initiated three legal actions against its first Liberian President