Monrovia – Senator Varney Sherman (Unity Party, Grand Cape Mount County) has written plenary of the Liberian senate informing them about the besiegement of his home by security officers of the Liberian National Police on order of the special presidential task force investigating the Global Witness report.
In the Senator’s letter he said, the security officers did not afford him courtesy by their action to deploy security officers at his home, in his communication read on the plenary floor and sent to the leadership for action within 24 hours.
In a related development, Senator Alphonso Gaye (Unity Party, Grand Gedeh County) has written plenary of the Senate requesting that body to invite the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Chair on the Special Presidential Task Force to provide briefing on the current investigation of the Global Witness report.
In his communication, Senator Gaye said, while he appreciates the fight against corruption as a National endeavour, the government needs to be cautions in pursuing the case abides. He said, the enormity of the allegations levied has damaging effects on the country and those who are named in the report both present and former government officials.
Said Gaye: “Distinguished colleagues, under our laws, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of jurisdiction.
We appreciate the government of Liberia swift action by confirming receipt of the report and officially communicated with Global Witness to provide more substantive evidence to substantiate its claims against the accused and in addition constituted a Task Force to conduct a full investigation.
The Grand Gedeh Senator’s communication furthered that the method used by the government to deploy armed men at the home of the accused instead of pursuing the other way round which will exhaust all legal means through competent court of jurisdiction; has the propensity to bring the country into another round of conflict.
“Considering the critical nature of this report, I would like to entreat the indulgence of the plenary of the Honourable Senate to invite the head of the Presidential Task Force Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa, Acting Minister of Justice and Attorney General and the Liberia Anti-Corruption commission in a special session Wednesday May 25, 2016 to brief the Liberian Senate on the method being used by the government in the investigation especially amidst the attempt of state security on the arrest of Cllr. Sherman and others in response to the Global Witness report,” the communication said.
Henry Karmo (0886522495) [email protected]
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