Monrovia – Montserrado County Attorney Edwin Martin has expressed frustration on the part of the immigration service for being allegedly adamant in restricting former National Public Health Institute Director Tolbert Nyenswah from leaving the country.
Nyenswah, who served as Director General of NPHIL, resigned on October 21 citing family problem.
Following his resignation, Nyenswah was prevented from leaving the country after County Attorney Martin had filed a writ of ne-exeat Republica with the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice.
The writ sought to prevent the former NPHIL boss from leaving the country after an investigation into alleged missing public fund was launched by the Asset Recovery and Reinstitution Team (ARRT).
Cllr. Martin was disappointed that the Liberia Immigration Service Authority was not able to implement the court’s order because the order did not reach on time.
“We received the writ of ne-exeat Republica preventing Tolbert Nyenswah from leaving the country but our RIA Detachment informed us that the Tolbert Nyenswah had left the country already prior to the issuance of the writ,” said Moses Yebleh, Acting Commissioner of the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS).
When Nyenswah’s departure from the country surfaced, Cllr. Martin told FPA it was shocking and that he left under the cover of darkness.
“Immigration authority did not make any follow up as they usually do when other government officials are leaving the country I wondered while in this special case that they did not do any follow up,” said Martin, who vowed to put up a red flag for the whereabouts of Tolbert Nyenswah.
According to Martin, effort has been put into place by the Ministry of Justice to prevent any person of interest undergoing investigation with ARRT from leaving the country as was in the case of Tolbert Nyenswah.
“The Ministry of Justice will do everything within its range once you are a person of interest you will not leave the country, even the Solicitor General of the country when he is leaving the country we are informed,” he said.