Monrovia – Mr. Charles Sirleaf, the eldest son of former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf walked out of the Monrovia Central Prison Friday after Judge Boima Kontoe of the Criminal Court C signed off on his release.
Bettie Johnson-Mbayo, [email protected]
Mr. Sirleaf’s family members, led by his wife shielded him from the media gathered outside the prison as he made his way into his Nissan Patrol which was parked outside the prison walls.
It is unclear under which ground Mr. Sirleaf, who is the Deputy Governor for Operations at the Central Bank of Liberia, is being released but sources say it may be based on compassionate leave. Mr. Sirleaf’s health has been an issue since he was incarcerated along with four other executives of the Central Bank of Liberia late last week.
Still in custody are: Mr. Milton Weeks, former bank governor, Dorbor Hagba, Director for Banking, Richard Walker, Director for Operations and Joseph Dennis, Deputy Director for Internal Audit, all are being held for economic sabotage, fraud, criminal conspiracy.
FrontPageAfrica has not been able to establish the fate of former governor Weeks and the rest of those arrested last week.
The CBL executives were arrested following last week’s release of the USAID-backed Kroll report and the report by the Special Presidential Task Force which uncovered wide-range of discrepancies in the missing Liberian dollars saga and the controversial disbursement of US$25 million intended for infusion in the economy to curb the rising exchange rate between the Liberian and US dollar.
Kroll recommended that given the many discrepancies noted in the manner in which the mop-up exercise was conducted in relation to the infusion of the US$25 Million into the Liberian economy; and the scope, time and financial resource limitations encountered by the PIT-TC, the investigation recommends that the TEMT and the Central Bank of Liberia put a halt to the exercise, and that a forensic investigation of the entire mop-up exercise be conducted without any delay.
Said the investigative auditing firm: “Given the many discrepancies observed throughout the investigation in relation to the operations of the Central Bank of Liberia in executing its statutory mandate, there is a need to review the Standard Operational Procedures (SOP), banking supervision and internal controls of the Central Bank of Liberia to curb the possibility of abuse of the money supply of the nation; as well as, enhancing efficiency and productivity. 3.7 To further protect currency banknotes in reserve, the Central Bank of Liberia should consider discontinuing the use of the Vault at the erstwhile National Housing and Saving Bank.”
For its part, the PITT recommended that given the many discrepancies observed throughout the investigation in relation to the operations of the Central Bank of Liberia in executing its statutory mandate, there is a need to review the Standard Operational Procedures (SOP), banking supervision and internal controls of the Central Bank of Liberia to curb the possibility of abuse of the money supply of the nation; as well as, enhancing efficiency and productivity. 3.7 To further protect currency banknotes in reserve, the Central Bank of Liberia should consider discontinuing the use of the Vault at the erstwhile National Housing and Saving Bank.
On Thursday President George Manneh Weah instructed the General Auditing Commission to investigate the findings of both reports amid pressure for the president to also act against his controversial Finance and Economic Development Minister Samuel D. Tweah and current CBL governor Nathaniel Patray who are also named in the reports.
This is a developing story which is being updated