Monrovia – The chair of the Liberia Anti- Corruption Commission has responded to allegation reported in FPA on May 10, 2017 that he tampered with investigative cases brought to the commission.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
“Tampering with evidence is against the internal code, we don’t interfere with the investigation.”
“If something happened we will take action against anyone who gets into any case illegal so the information has never happened and we will not tampered with any investigative report.”
In an interview with Cllr. James Verdier, he said allegations raised by the investigators would not be given credence and was prompted by bad intentions to spoil the works of his administration.
“When investigator says they are disenchanted they have to name the cases we allegedly tampered with, because their insinuation are just bad intentions, but it is my dream by the time I leave from here, laws, personnel will be available for the next administration.
“Have you people looked at billboards and integrity clubs in schools? People everywhere are discussing corruption,that is because of us.”
“And can you people look around and just stop painting us black like we aren’t doing nothing.”
FPA recently quoted investigators at the LACC who spoke on conditions of anonymity saying they were reluctant to continue with investigations due to the manner in which Cllr. Verdier treats investigations.
They accused the LACC Chairman of tampering with investigative findings for personal gains.
According to them, that is the reason for the Commission’s failure to prosecute or win most of the corruption cases.
“We as investigators are not taken seriously because every time we try to investigate, he by-passes us and speaks to the alleged defendant, and such thing does not bring credibility to us,” an LACC investigator said.
The paper reported that Verdier caused the death of Morris Ware because he was improperly dismissed.
Responding the LACC chair said Ware was not dismissed because of linkage of information to the media but rather was dismissed because he was unproductive.
“We did a survey and as an institution we advise all investigator to do a self- appraisal /evaluation and from the self-appraisal we compared it to our own appraisal, and in his appraisal he said 2008-2015, he had not concluded 5 cases; and we said there was something wrong with productivity couple with administrative issues such as writing skills, and we have the responsibility to allow the commission function, and we restructured and reformed the division.”
“Mr. Ware just happened to be one that was affected, he was not delivering as compare with senior investigators and myself couldn’t help him so we did all we did as in compliance of the law.”
Ware in his complaint to the Labor Ministry, alleged that his benefits were not paid, coupled with illegal dismissal. Contrary to the deceased statement Verdier said: “We paid him the benefit as provided by law and he chose to seek redress, but we have no inclination that he was ill, he had heart condition.”
“We regret his death but I will do the same thing in firing anyone who is not productive.”
Between 2008 / 2016 the LACC according to its website include data analysis on cases investigated concluded, recommended for prosecution and being prosecuted: 2008-2013 (November):
Allegation of corruption at the National Port Authority regarding Wreck Removal & ISPS Consultancy Contract allegation of Corruption With Japanese Oil Grant of 2011 Between Governments Of Japan And Liberia allegation of Bribery at National Oil Company involving some lawmakers lleagation of corruption involving the Ministry of Public Works and Flashpoint incorporated;
CCTV case-investigated in 2011, submitted to MOJ in 2012 and indictment obtained in 2015
There are currently 14 cases under Investigation as stated on the LACC website which include
Global Witness report of corruption allegation of bribery involving official of GOL for the enactment and amendment of the PPCC Laws to suit the interest of Sable Mining, a British Company
River Gee SDF/CDF allegation of financial impropriety and misapplication of River Gee County Development Funds (CDF) and Social Development Funds (SDF)
Sparc Technology allegation of corruption; misapplication of entrusted property, theft of public funds by the former Auditor General, Robert Kirby and fraudulent procurement of website worth USD 45,000.00 in violation of the PPCC Act
Bong Technical College allegation into misapplication of Bong County Social Development Funds (SDF), as well as discrepancies in the award of the contract to construct the Bong County Technical College
Red Cross and M2 Logistics allegation of corruption and/or discrepancies in the award of a contract valued over US$ 800,000.00 to M2 Logistics Company.
IAA/Public Works payment of PAPS allegation of financial malpractice and/or misconduct in the management of the Resettlement Action Plan Account at Central Bank of Liberia (CBL)
DJ Curley and LEAF allegation of ‘Conflict of Interests’ and breach of contract by Mr. Emmanuel Dolo, former Youth Advisor to the President of Liberia Offshore infrastructure Ltd. (OIL) Israeli Business man allegation on attempted bribe
Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) investigation on the status of loans given to marketers and/or business entities by the CBL
Allegation of Corruption at JFK allegation of corruption, including procurement fraud and money laundering at the JFK Medical Hospital
Complaint of Misappropriation against Hon. Acarous Gray allegation of misappropriation of public funds by Acarous Gray
BIN and ERA Supermarket allegation of bribery and/or extortion involving officials of BIN alleged Corruption by Management of WVS Tubman University allegation of administrative malpractice, misapplication of public funds, and the award of double salaries to senior administrative staff
National Archives- NCDRA allegation of administrative malpractice, misapplication of revenues generated from increment in the fees of marriage processing forms by the Director, Bloh Saye and Deputy Director, Martin Kollah of the Center for National Document and Records Agency (NCDRA)
Verdier refused to comment on the status of the cases as stated on his website but requested that FPA asked him on a specific case.
He said there are constraints that the commission is faced with, naming finances and the delay in investigation of cases by the Ministry of Justice.
“We are working under constraints. Since 2013, the budget hasn’t gone above 2 million United States Dollars, we are managing with scarce resources.
“We have an unavoidable relationship with the Ministry of Justices, despite of the long time they spent with cases we have a smooth relationship but I can say its cordial but it is not smooth in terms of timely manner there are still procrastination, we speak to the Ministry of Justice but there are slow process from them in investigating cases, we been trying to get an MOU but we haven’t succeeded in that because the Ministry is still mute,” Verdier said.
Verdier said the LACC budget hasn’t passed 2-million but the Liberia budget shows far from what was said.
The budget show that the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission in 2014/15 2,678,750 2015/16 2,584,287 2016/17 2,567,498 a projection of 2,603,400 in 2017/18 and 2018/19 is 2,687,324 projected for the commission.
He added that the LACC has beefed up its investigative team. Through the UNDP, 7 additional investigators have been hired.
“How will they call us unproductive when we have investigated more than the past administration, we have scarce resources but we still work, we just hired 7 additional investigator and they will be paid by UNDP. We represented the country in several areas.
The investigators in an interview alleged that Verdier dismissed several persons to create employment for his friends.
But the LACC boss said that the requirements for an investigator are basic. Applicants must be able to comprehend, read and write in English and should have a first degree.
“It is outrageous to say we are dismissing someone for our friends, we have documentation of recommendation for Pius Sonpon to be placed higher instead of associate investigator and he is not terminally ill, he took 4 weeks training at the Police training academy.”
“Our recruitment processes is not one stage but three, if we recruiting for one position, the interview panel bring 4 persons, at this stage I use my discretion.”
The statement which supports the employment of Ijaz Mason, an investigator who was allegedly employed by Cllr. Verdier based on friendship. Mason, sources said, ranked fourth out of four persons who were screened for the job.
However, Verdier, according to sources, overturned the initial recruitment report, asking that it be redone to have him at the top of the list.
Responding to the allegation, Verdier said he wasn’t in the country when Mayson was employed.
He refused to allow the record of Mayson, Sonpon and others recruitment records to be ascertain, adding that the documents are private and could not be given to the press.
According to Verdier, Comfort Wotorson who served program assistant was dismissed because she allegedly leaked minutes from a board meeting.
“Every staff signed an internal code in the institution, she was out rightly dismissed because as program assistant to the Executive Director, she came in contact with the information and she went out and divulged, release and she has no authority to do that, she bridged our code of conduct.”
We can’t have a staff who will give out information like she has authority. She had no authority or right to do that,” he states.
Responding to FOI, Verdier said the FOI files could not be granted on grounds that good standing was not shown by the media institution.
“The law say you should show your standing, as a confidentiality issue, and we need to study the request, I felt that we never had the time and we didn’t need to, that’s why we didn’t respond.”
“The FOI is still controversial and I have a reservation, if the court say we will abide but if anyone make a request you have to show your standing and how does it benefit the work you are about to do, you can’t just write a letter and want us respond to it, I hold no prejudice for that,” he said.