MONROVIA – Two senior officials of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) led-government of President George Manneh Weah and others have been complained to the Liberia National Police (LNP) for allegedly intimidating and harassing a foreign investor in the country.
The officials include: Margibi County Superintendent Jerry Varney and Cinta Township Commissioner Roland S. Johnson.
They were also accused of criminal conspiracy, criminal solicitation and impersonation along with several others including Andrew Yancy, Musu M. Yango and Alvin Konneh Freeman and others to be identified.
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected]
The complaint was filed by British investor Hans Armstrong, who is residing in Monrovia, through his lawyers from the Liberia Law Group, Incorporated to the Kakata Central Police Station.
Mr. Armstrong is the Attorney-In-Fact of Martin Milochewsky and Pavel Milochewsk, both Czech residing in Czech Republic, responsible to recover, retrieve and possess all assets of the two Czech nationals who shipped some earth moving equipment to Liberia to be used the collapsed MHM EKO Liberia, Inc.
The company previously operated a rock quarry site in Seke-Ta in Margibi County.
It equipment remain grounded at the site following the shutdown of its operations.
On December 4, the Commander of the Criminal Services Department of the Margibi County Police Detachment, James O. Ballah requested the transfer of the case from Kakata to Monrovia shortly after the complaint was filed by Mr. Armstrong, through his lawyers.
He communicated the transfer of the case, a copy which is in the possession of FrontPage Africa, to Assistant Police Commissioner Alphonso Paypay.
In his complaint filed British investor Hans Armstrong accused Margibi County Superintendent Jerry Varnie and Cinta Township Commissioner Roland Johnson of allegedly using their respective offices to intimidate and harass him.
The case transfer report quoted Mr. Armstrong as saying that on November 22, he received a telephone call from his security guard identified as Francis Kerkula who is stationed in Wiah Clan manning his equipment about threats of a piece of land he has been leasing over the years in Seke-Ta, Margibi County.
The police report disclosed that Mr. Armstrong expressed shock when he was informed that two unidentified men went on his company site, purporting to be inspectors from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, and claiming that they had gone at the site to conduct inspection on the privately owned company being leased by him.
He further quoted his security guard by saying that when he refused to allow the two men entry into the enclosed company where he has his equipment worth over US$1million, Roland S. Johnson immediately phoned his officer (Francis Kerkula) and tried to intimidate him on account of his position as Commissioner of Cinta Township to allow the two men entry into the private-owned premises so that they could carry on inspection, a demand his officer “firmly related.”
The police report disclosed that Mr. Armstrong later informed his lawyer one Counselor Amara Sheriff of the Liberia Law Group, Inc. who called Commissioner Johnson to inquire of the information, provided by his client’s private security guard.
According to the report, Commissioner Johnson responded in the affirmative and even requested a meeting with Cllr, Sheriff to discuss “the detail of his interest.”
“Suspect Roland Johnson visited his lawyer’s 6th Street Sinkor law office on two different occasions, November 23 and 29, 2022 meetings in which he was accompanied by suspects Andrew Yancy and Alvin Konneh Freeman, both of whom allegedly claimed they were eminent citizens of Weala Town,” the police report disclosed.
It added: “In the meetings, Mr. Armstrong narrated in his complaint that the men informed his lawyer that they were fronting for financial compensation from him on behalf of their township where the collapsed MHM EKO Liberia, Inc. was operating;; and that they could only guarantee Mr. Hans Armstrong safe passage out of Seke-Ta with his earth moving equipment once said demand is met. Moreover, Armstrong alleged in his complaint that Commissioner Johnson revealed that he had a mass meeting with the citizens of Weala Town as well as with Superintendent Jerry Varney and Clan Chief Musu M. Yango and they all agreed on this note.”
The report disclosed that on this note, Mr. Armstrong said he feels that the named suspects mentioned have formed a “cohort” in conspiring to use their official positions in harassing him with the intent to coerce him to extort money.
The case was registered with number MG-KT-CSD-002-12-22.
Following the filing and registration of the case, police in Margibi immediately contacted Commissioner Johnson via telephone. He voluntarily turned himself over and was accompanied by suspect Andrew Yancy.
The suspects speak
The police report pointed out that after being informed of their constitutional rights, both suspects Johnson and Yancy admitted to visiting the law offices of Cllr, Sheriff, Legal Counsel to Mr. Hans Armstrong on the 23rd and 29th of November 2022 where they “boldly informed Cllr. Sheriff of their interest in getting financial compensation from Mr. Armstrong before they can permit him to lift his equipment from Seke-Ta, Margibi County.”
Suspect Johnson told police investigators that he informed Superintendent Varney about the situation.
According to him, the Superintendent, who is his boss allegedly gave him the “go ahead to do the necessary as he is now proceeding.”
“Suspect Commissioner Johnson also admitted to being the one who sent the two impersonators at the privately-owned property being leased by complainant Armstrong to do the inspection of the equipment thereat.”
No response from Superintendent
Following the revelations provided by suspects Johnson and Yancy, the police on December 2, officially communicated to Superintendent Varney on the complaint as well as the allegation that was made by his Township Commissioner.
Margibi County Police Detachment CSD Commander Ballah informed Assistant Police Commissioner Paypay that since the communication was sent to Superintendent Varney, he has failed to respond.
“Sadly and most regrettably Sir, we are receiving unconfirmed reports that suspect Commissioner Roland S. Johnson has been having secret meetings with unscrupulous individuals of his township to stage a violent protest,” the police report disclosed.
It added: “On this note Sir, judging from the past unwarranted and unlawful action of suspect Commissioner Roland S. Johnson in 2019 wherein on April 1, 2019 suspect Commissioner Johnson mobilized gangs in protest against the state for the death of one Moses Wolopay in which they burned down the Weala station and that of the Baypolu Magisterial Court and destroyed other privately owned properties there in their township, we therefore request and plead with authority to take full charge of this investigation so as to avoid the reoccurrence of April 1.”
When contacted via mobile phone, Commissioner Johnson termed the allegations as “false and misleading.”
According to him, local authorities in the county do not recognized Mr. Armstrong as the owner of the equipment at the company’s premises.
“MHM EKO Liberia went and operated in that place and got what they wanted to get. All the rocks and other things are still there and they didn’t pay a cent to the township.”
He disclosed that the company surreptitiously shut down its operations in 2015.
“Nanborlor Singbeh who is the Secretary of the Senate was the one who took the company to that place there. We only saw Hans few days ago in that place and he said we went to get the equipment to bring it to Monrovia. When we got the information that he even wanted to take the equipment to sell it, we put stop to him and said no.”
Commission Johnson maintained that though Mr. Armstrong claimed that the company now belongs to him, he (Johnson) and others prevented him from taking the equipment of the company.
“We told him that you can’t take the equipment; the company came and operated here and the citizens did not benefit anything. If you go to that area, you will see how the place looks.”
He claimed that the company entered into a social agreement with the locals, through their former authorities promising to pave roads, constructs schools and clinics, among others.
He said the company allegedly failed to live up to these commitments.
“Hans took our complaint to Kakata and they called us. One Alexander Diggs is the Assistant CID Commander there and this is the same Diggs that came with this same Hans Armstrong in 2018 to allow the equipment to go and I said no, I couldn’t do it.”
Commissioner Johnson disclosed that he has officially filed a complaint against officer Diggs to the Professional Standard Division of the LNP.
He claimed that the LNP officer has been allegedly “tampered with” by the British investor as evidenced by a text message he (Diggs) sent him requesting the equipment of the company to be transported to Monrovia.
He disclosed that the case involving MHM EKO Liberia remains pending at the Supreme Court of Liberia and as such, the local authorities in the county have not also received any mandate to allow Mr. Armstrong to take cease of his properties at the company’s premises.
“Supreme Court has not given any legal document to Hans Armstrong and copied to us or come up with a verdict in this case proving to us that Hans has authority over the equipment and we should allow it to go. Hans told me that the equipment belong to him even though there is no verdict from the Supreme Court.”
Commissioner Varney is currently in Monrovia, but denied that he’s in the capital for investigation.
Also speaking, Margibi County Superintendent Varney wondered while the case was transferred to Monrovia.
He denied ever meeting, harassing or intimidating Mr. Armstrong to extort money from him.
He expressed regret why Commissioner Johnson did not get him involved previously when the company was entering into an agreement with the locals.
“The matter has been brought to Monrovia and I am not above the law. The National Police headquarters have not called me yet. Ask Hans Armstrong whether he has ever seen me. How can you harass somebody when you and the person have not interacted? I have never seen Hans Armstrong in my life.”
Superintendent Varney disclosed that he requested Commissioner Johnson, who claimed that the company was indebted to the locals, to reach out and ask them (company) how the alleged debts would be settled.
“I told Commissioner Johnson that he was the Chief Administrator there and if anyone goes on wrong, he was the one I will hold responsible and so, do the best practice in the interest of the community and the company. If you say the company owes the community, let them bring the document to prove that and let the man (community Chairman) go to the company and not you.”
Superintendent Johnson clarified that he never authorized Commissioner Johnson to reach out or extort money from Mr. Armstrong on his behave.
He said the court should be the best party to handle the release of the equipment of the company to Mr. Armstrong.
“I am not above the law; I went Buchanan and when I came back I received a letter from my Administrative Assistant place on my desk. I called the CID Commander and he said the matter has been transferred to central (police headquarters). And so, I’m waiting for Central to call me.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs is expected to intervene in the matter shortly.
Chaos may erupt and investors discouraged from doing businesses or opening companies in Liberia if the matter is not thoroughly investigated and actions taken.
Already, no foreign-direct investment has taken place in Liberia since the inception of the CDC led-government.
Foreign investor are skeptical of opening their businesses or companies in Liberia due to the growing wave of insecurity, including lawlessness, secret killings, the lack of trust and accountability in public officials, among others.
The requests for “kickbacks” from some of these foreign investors discourages them from holding discussions or going further to pursue their ambitions to open companies in the country.
The situation is contribution to the high rate of unemployment, thereby putting more pressure on the government to provide job opportunities for its citizens to cater to them and their respective family members.
Changing the story around remains quite difficult (if not possible) for President George Manneh Weah, with less than a year to the end of his first term and the crucial 2023 general and presidential elections.