Monrovia – Series of issues on ethical transgression reported by the media on Cllr. Charles Gibson when he was nominated as Justice Minister/Attorney General has forced President George Manneh Weah to rescind his preferment.

Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

The President withdrew the nomination after a prolonged confirmation by the Liberian Senate. Gibson was nominated on Jan. 22 immediately when President Weah took his oath of office.

He’s on record for misappropriating US$25,322.00 from a client, which led to his two-month suspension from direct and indirect practice of law by the Supreme Court in the bailiwick of Liberia.

FrontPageAfrica also discovered that Gibson lost his job at the United Nations Mission in Liberia for allegedly shortchanging one of his clients in a land deal.

According to the Executive Mansion, President Weah, through a communication to Gibson and the Pro-Tempore of the Senate, announced the rescinding of the preferment for the post. 

Cllr. Musa Dean, who served as lead lawyer for the National Elections Commission (NEC) during the October 2017 election impasse, has been named as Justice Minister-designate. 

Cllr. Dean served as the lead lawyer in the Hans Williams and Mardea Paykue versus the Government of Liberia in the landmark Angel Tokpa case. 

He earned LL.M. (Master of Laws) with concentration on International Business Law from the Columbia University, School of Law in 1990 after getting his LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) from the Louis Arthur Grimes, School of Law, University of Liberia in 1988. 

He also attained Diploma in Telecommunications Management Studies from Bailbrook College, England in 1989. 

Cllr. Dean is the founder and managing director of Dean & Associates, Inc. law office in Monrovia. 

He served as the CEO of National Oil Company from 2003 to 2006 where he presided over the daily operations of the company; arranged and supervised the company’s First Offshore Oil Exploration Licensing Round (Bid Round) in London, (March 29, 2004), and Houston, (April 1, 2004); presided over the successful completion of the Bid Rounds and the award of oil blocks for exploration. 

From 1996-1997, he served as the Deputy Minister of Justice/Deputy Attorney General for Economic Affairs where he served as head of the Economic Division of the Ministry of Justice.

During his tenure, he ensured the prevention and prosecution of economic crimes; furnished legal opinions and rendered services requiring legal skills to the Executive Branch of the Government; assisted the Minister of Justice to procure the proper evidence for the prosecution or defense of suits and proceedings in the courts in which the Republic of Liberia was a party; and performed such specific tasks as delegated by the Minister of Justice.

Meanwhile, President Weah has nominated Nyemadi D. Pearson as Managing Director of Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), Stanley Ford as Deputy Managing Director/Administration at LPRC.

Dr. Jerry Brown has been named as Acting Director General/Administrator of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, while Dama Yekeson-Koffa is nominated as Acting Deputy Director General/Administrator.

Cllr.  Cooper Kruah is now the Minister-designate for Post and Telecommunications. 

The rest of the appointments are as follows:

Liberia Immigration and Naturalization Service (LINS)
Moses K. Yebleh                                  Deputy Commissioner for Administration

Land Commission
Ellen D. Pratt                                      Land Use & Management

Libtelco
Richmond Nagbe Tobii                        Managing Director    

National Fisheries
William Y. Boeh                                  Deputy Director for Technical Service

National Document and Archives
Neilleh Daituah                                    Director
Kollie Kamara                                      Deputy Director/Administration Archives

Robert International Airport
Paula Fares                                         Deputy General Manager Technical Services

Liberia National Police (LNP)
Robert Budy                                        Deputy Director/Operations 

John F. Kennedy Medical Center 
Dr. Jerry Brown                                  Acting Director General/Administrator
Dama Yekeson-Koffa                           Acting Deputy Director General/Administrator

Bureau of Concession       
Daddy Gibson                                     Deputy Director General Administration

Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC)
Nyemadi D. Pearson                           Managing Director
Stanley Ford                                     Deputy Managing Director/Administration 

National Transit Authority (NTA)
Joseph B. Wisseh                                Dep. Managing Director for Operations

Ministry of Internal Affairs
Emmet Reeves                                       Deputy Minister for Operations       
Edward Fineboy                                  Assistant Minister for Operations
Paulita C.C.  Wieh                              Deputy Minister for Urban Affairs
Abubakak Bah                                     Assistant Minister for Urban Affairs

Ministry Post & Telecommunication
Cllr.  Cooper Kruah                            Minister
Melvin Yealu                                      Assistant Minister for Administration
Cyrus Kamara                                     Assistant Minister for Research & Planning

Ministry of Labor
Togba Porte                                         Assistant Minister for Trade Union Affairs

Ministry of Justice
Cllr. Musa F. Dean                             Minister 

Ministry of Education
Felecia Sackey Donsumah                  Assistant Minister for Elementary & Secondary Education
Othello W. Nimely                               Asst. Minister of Education for Student Personnel Services
Henrietta M. Sackor                              Assistant Minister for General Administration
Othello W. Nimely                              Assistant Minister for Student Personnel Services
Domonic N. Kwene                             Assistant Minister for Research & Planning
James A. Massaquoi                            Assistant Minister for Fiscal Affairs & Human Resources
Gayflor Y. Washington                       Assistant Minister for Teacher Education

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Amb. Jarjar Kamara                            Senior Ambassador-At-large
Amb. Ibrahim Nyei                            Ambassador-At-Large
Amb. Robert Y. Lormia, II                  Ambassador-At-Large
Adonis Z. Greaves                              Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs
Austin Spiller                                     Assistant Minister for Administration
Naomie Gray                                     Assistant Minister for Afro-Asian Affairs
Rosetta N. Jackollie                           Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs
Maxwell P. Vah                                  Assistant Minister for American Affairs
Sylvester K. Pewee                             Assistant Minister for Public Affairs
Sherdrick M. Jackson                         Asst. Min. for International Cooperation & Economic Affairs
Abratha P. Doe                                 Assistant Minister for European Asian Affairs

Monrovia – President George Weah has withdrawn the nomination of his Minister of Justice/Attorney General following multiple staining media reports on his integrity.

Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@forntpageafricaonline.com

President Weah made the withdrawal on February 7, 2018 in an official communication to the Senate Pro-Temp Hon. Albert Chie. 

Cllr. Charles Gibson was amongst the first batch of nominees named by the President on Jan. 22 but his confirmation was delayed by the Senate until his withdrawal.

Cllr. Gibson recently enjoyed justice tampered with mercy when the Supreme Court lifted a his suspension from the direct and indirect practice of law within the bailiwick of Liberia. The suspension was precipitated ethical transgression.

It was established that by the Grievance and Ethical Committee that Cllr. Gibson misappropriated US$25,322.00 from a client.

His suspension was lifted by the High Court after he restituted the amount.

He was also accused by a lady identified as Freda Mensah, believed to be in her late 60s of attempting to shortchange her on a 75-acre farmland he was selling on her behalf.

According to her, Cllr. Gibson received an initial payment of US$22,000 but reported only US$2,000.

According to our sources, President Weah is contemplating nominating Cllr. Musa Dean or Cllr. Oswald Tweh to the position.

Monrovia – It seems President George Manneh Weah’s Justice Minister-designate’s confirmation has hit rock bottom as the Liberian Senate failed to discuss his confirmation report from the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Report by Henry Karmo – henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

The Committee is headed by Cllr. Varney Sherman (UP-Grand Cape Mount County).

According to sources in the 30-member Senate, the committee on Judiciary had earlier recommended that the controversial Justice Minister, Cllr. Charles Gibson, be confirmed.

However, our sources further stated that after careful scrutiny of the report, it was withdrawn from the Senate floors due to speculations about the possible withdrawal of the nominee and the public outcry.

Though his hearing was conducted before other nominees including Samora Wolokillie and Janga Kowo, both nominated for the positions of Comptroller General and Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), their confirmation reports were placed on the floor for action.  

On Monday, February 5, the Senate had a special session at which time Wolokollie and Kowo names were forwarded by the Ways, Means and Finance Committee, which recommended for the two nominees to be confirmed.

It is not yet clear whether the two have been confirmed. However, unconfirmed sources informed this newspaper that the senators unanimously voted for their confirmation.

Cllr. Gibson had been suspended by the Supreme Court based on findings from the Grievance and Ethics Committee for misappropriating US$25,322 from a client.

“Counsellor Charles H. Gibson be, and is hereby suspended from the practice of law directly and indirectly in Liberia for the period of two (2) months.”

The Committee reports show that the proceedings started from a 2013 final judgment rendered by the Debt Court for Montserrado County, awarding the complainant, GECCO represented by its President, Mr. Anwar Saoud the amount of US $286,200 against the Global Bank Liberia Ltd.

The parties agreed that said amount would be paid in five instalments of which Cllr. Gibson represented the complainant in the debt action.

On November 17, 2014, GECCO represented by its president filed a complaint with the Chief Justice, Francis S. Korkpor, Sr., alleging unethical and unprofessional conduct by its lawyer, Cllr. Gibson.

Monrovia – Allegations of ethical transgression continue to linger around President George Weah’s Attorney General Nominee, Cllr. Charles Gibson, as a new FrontPageAfrica probe uncovers his alleged scam that reportedly got him out of the UN system.

Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

“Oppong Weah (President Weah) better shine his eyes. That man is crook. He’s a born crook. If he makes that man Justice Minister, Liberian people will say ‘if I was known’ [had I known]. We’re coming to cry. They have put a crook in the Justice Ministry.” – Freda Mensah, a former Client of Justice Minister-designate, Cllr. Charles Gibson 

Cllr. Gibson’s former client, Freda Mensah, believed to be in her late 60s, could not tame the anger in her voice as she narrated her ordeal with the suggested Justice Minister. 

She’s one of the heirs of the J.D. Mensah Estate. 

According to her, Cllr. Gibson was hired to serve as the family’s attorney and at the same time serve as administrator for their estate. 

Ma Freda alleged that not only was he involved in double standards but also shortchanged her on several monies paid as rent to the family through him. 

“Oppong Weah better shine his eyes. That man is crook. He’s a born crook. If he makes that man Justice Minister, Liberian people will say ‘if I was know’ [had I known]. We’re coming to cry. They have put a crook in the Justice Ministry,” she said. 

She explained that Cllr. Gibson attempted selling a 75-acre farmland located in Todee, Lower Montserrado County, belonging to her after he eavesdropped a telephone conversation between a UN staff identified as Monica Boakai and another person, who was inquiring about the purchase of a farmland. 

According to Freda, Cllr. Gibson, who at the time worked as the National Legal Advisor with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), took an initial amount of US$24,000 but reported only US$2,000.00 to her as he kept her out of the negotiations. 

She said Cllr. Gibson hid the actual price tag he had put on the land until the buyer decided to locate her to authenticate the ownership and invite her over for surveying. 

Freda told FrontPageAfrica the buyer expressed shock when she discovered that Cllr. Gibson had given her only US$2,000. 

This, she said, led to an investigation and his subsequent dismissal from the UNDP after being made to restitute the money to the buyer – bringing the entire land sale to a halt. 

All efforts to contact Monica Boakai who is said to still be in the employ of the United Nations in Liberia failed. 

Cllr. Gibson declined to comment on the allegation on grounds that FPA had made reference to his alleged involvement of the sale of land without contacting him for his side of the story. 

He told this reporter Monday evening to publish whatever allegation it may have as he would not respond to FPA. 

“Take the same trend, the same trend to publish your story today [Monday], take the same trend to publish whatever story you have,” he said. 

Cllr. Gibson is among the first batch of cabinet nominees named by President Weah on the day of his inauguration. He was nominated along with Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill, Foreign Affairs Minister Gbezohngar M. Findley, who all have been confirmed by the Senate except Gibson. 

His nomination as Attorney General came at the time when he was serving a two-month suspension by the Supreme Court for siphoning monies belonging to his client.

He was suspended last February by the Supreme Court from the practice of law directly and indirectly in Liberia when the Grievance and Ethics Committee established he misappropriated US$25,322.00 from a client. He was also asked to restitute the amount. 

The Committee’s report showed that the proceedings started from a 2013 final judgment rendered by the Debt Court for Montserrado County, awarding the complainant, GECCO represented by its president, Mr. Anwar Saoud, the amount of US$286,200.00 (Two Hundred Eighty-Six Thousand, Two Hundred United States Dollars) against the Global Bank Liberia Ltd. 

Last Thursday, February 1, the high court, following a hearing, restored Gibson’s license to practice law in Liberia. When asked why he took so long to adhere to the court’s order and pay the client’s money, Cllr. Gibson attributed the delay in payment to not having adequate funds.

“I was constrained and was not working, and some friends had to help me get the money to pay back,” he said. 

Chief Justice Francis Korkpor then told him, “Know that you will be serving as the Dean of the Supreme Court if you are caught in this kind of situation what do you think will be the perception of the public about the Court?” 

Gibson pleaded with the Court to tender justice with mercy, “I’m sorry for the situation and I beg the court to tender justice with mercy.” 

Executive Mansion sources have hinted FPA that President Weah is contemplating the withdrawal of Gibson’s nomination due to media reports of his ethical issues which have raised some concerns among Liberia’s international partners. 

Editor’s Note: This article earlier inadvertently reported that Cllr. Charles Gibson worked with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Cllr. Gibson rather worked for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL).