The decision by Cllr. Edwin Martins and the LACC to proceed with the allegation against the NEC boss in the manner they did, clearly shows the subjective intention and motive of the LACC.
It is now overtly clear that LACC has becomed more political than neutral, credible, and objective. This is dangerous for our infant democracy. Cllr. Edwin Martins, a Lawyer by profession, is fully aware that the LACC does not have prosecutory power or authority to proceed to court without first exhausted the 90 days statutory period. Cllr. Martin and his LACC chose to byepass Justice Minister Musa Dean because they know Minister Dean knows better and would have never signed on to such elementary violation or disrespect of the law.
Subjective procedure:
During the LACC so call investigation of the allegation against the NEC Boss, there was consistently weekly leaks of the investigation , thus showing clearly that the process was marked and marred by fraud with the intent to prejudice the outcome of the investigation.
At the end of the investigation, NEC was not served copy of the outcome or findings of the investigation, instead, Cllr. Martins held a press conference and read out statement that was not on paper. That action indicated that they (LACC) were fixing the report to match their subjective process. By that action, NEC Boss countered the LACC press statement and referred to the LACC verbal claims as “lies.”
Without LACC making her report, (findings and recommendations) public, they chose to ignore the law that requires LACC to forward the case to the Justice Ministry, they (LACC) proceeded to Court and drew up indictment against NEC Boss. Something they did not and do not have the authority to do.
The bill submitted to the Legislature, if passed, to grant or give LACC prosecutory authority, is still pending before the Legislature. How can Cllr. Martins and all the Lawyers at LACC start using the law that is not even passed by the Legislature and signed into law by the President of the Republic of Liberia?
The procurement or bidding procedure or process does not start with the Boss of the entity. It starts with the procurement committee which comprises of bid document preparation, publication, review committee, approval of qualified bidders’ listing, review of submitted bid documents, evaluation committee and award of contract to winner(s) of bid. These processes are presided over by different committees and departments. So, if any violation was done by NEC, which is yet to be proven by Cllr. Martins and his LACC, it means all the Commissioners of the NEC should be held liable. Subjectively selecting one Commissioner and blaming the action of the Commission on that Commissioner is clear tactics designed to unfairly target that person.
I believe that Cllr. Martins and all the Lawyers at LACC must immediately face the Grevience and Ethics Committee of the Supreme Court of Liberia for flagrantly disrespecting the law, especially with the intent to prejudice investigation.
I am calling for the immediate resignation of LACC Chairman Cllr. Edwin Martins. His action has brought serious credibility question to the LACC, an institution that is supposed to be objective, neutral and credible. The subjective trend introduced by Cllr. Martins is dangerous to Liberia’s infant Democracy. Cllr. Martins can not be fighting corruption by misusing and abusing the very law that is the basis for judging people. This is political , than legal . LACC must do better . It must not plunge our country into electoral crisis and instability , long before the main elections. Remember , elections are tempered