Monrovia – Senate Secretary Nanborlor Singbeh, one of the state witnesses in the ongoing trial of four former officials of the Central Bank of Liberia, has testified that a joint resolution was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives for the printing of the first L$5 billion.
Singbeh, the third state witness in the trial, on June 9 said that the resolution from the House of Representatives was adopted under the code 001/2016 while the Senate resolution was also adopted under the code 002.
He added that there were procedures under the Constitution in which banknotes are authorized to be printed, which was followed by the Legislature.
“The printing or authorization of the first 5 billion Liberian Dollars banknotes was made as far back as four years, from my recollection,” he said.
“A resolution was adopted by both Houses, authorizing the printing of the banknotes in the amount mentioned.”
Singbeh added that for the second request made by the CBL ex-officials to print additional money, there are standing committees in the Senate clothed with the authority to deal with matter of substance pertaining to the oversight responsibility of their committees and that records are not taken during discussion of matters in Executive session.
On the question of whether there was any joint resolution by the House and Senate in respect to the replacement of the Liberian Dollars legacy bank notes, he said no.
“To my knowledge, there was no resolution due to the fact that all resolutions, when signed by members of the Senate obtaining the number required by the Constitution, I as Secretary, will signed.”
When questioned by the defense counsel whether he appeared before the Special President Investigative Team set to probe the alleged missing L$16 billion, he also said no.
Following Singbeh’s testimony, the court adjourned the trial involving the former officials of CBL to Friday, June 10.
Those on trial are former Executive Governor Milton Weeks, and three other former members of the Board: Elsie Dossen Badio, David Farhat and Kollie Tamba.
The four Defendants on trial are charged with theft property, economic sabotage, fraud on internal revenue of Liberia, misuse of public money, illegal disbursement of public money, criminal conspiracy and facilitation. They have since denied the charges.