Monrovia – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission says it has with immediate effect forwarded a case involving its Vice Chairperson Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala to the Ministry of Justice for further investigations.
The LACC in a statement said it wants to maintain the integrity and credibility of the institution and does not want to be seen as conflicted by investigating one of its commissioners.
In a transmitter letter to Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musa Dean, LACC’s Executive Chairperson Edwin Kla Martin said the Commission had initially taken seized of the case based on its mandate but has now decided to turn the case over to the Ministry of Justice so that the Commission is not seen conflicted in appearance.
The LACC said it is also turning over the totality of all information it has gathered on the case including statements collected and other evidentiary instruments to help speed the investigation at the Ministry of Justice.
Meanwhile, the LACC urges all individuals involved with this investigation to proceed to the Ministry of Justice.
It can be recalled that on August 30, 2021, FrontPageAfrica Newspaper published a story captioned “Anti-Corruption Vice Chair in Corruption Scandal at National Port Authority” which among other things the paper alleged issues of conflict of interest in the establishment and award of contract to a Stevedoring Company-Creative Developer Incorporated.
Following the report, Cllr. Gbala requested a leave of absence for a month from his post as Vice Chairman of the LACC.
Cllr. Gbala in his request addressed to the Chairman of the Commission stated that his decision “was provoked by an August 30, 2021 news report in the FrontPageAfrica Newspaper which alleges that I am professionally conflicted regarding the ongoing corruption investigation of the National Port Authority (NPA)”.
He continued, “While I am absolutely convinced that I have committed no legal wrong nor violated any conflict of interest provision of our laws, I believe it is necessary that I take this leave of absence in order to allow the independent and professional men of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to undertake a speedy and impartial investigation into this matter without any public perception of bias or impartially.”
FrontPageAfrica’s investigation uncovered that Cllr. Gbala, the Managing Director of the National Port Authority and others established a company with the sole purpose of awarding the handling services contract at the Port of Buchanan to the company.
They reportedly used funds from the NPA to purchase a US$65,000 966 Loader to carry out the handling services at the Port of Buchanan by their newly established Creative Developers Inc.
According to the source, “Bill Tweahway has 60% share in the company, Cllr. Kanio Bai-Gbala was given 10% share, Deputy Comptroller Christian Brownell was given 15% share; while Hamed Sidiki Fofana was given 15% share. So, from the time the company was founded, they had a single machine and each time a vessel is in port, it will be used to do the loading and their invoices will be sent to them,” a source within the Freeport of Monrovia informed FPA.
However, Cllr. Gbala denied being a shareholder of the company – Creative Developers Inc. (CDI) but stated, “I bought shares in Creative Developers on behalf of my younger sister, Zarylee Gbala upon being invited by my friend Sidiki Fofana who established the company and is the CEO.”
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