Monrovia – Senator Peter Coleman of Grand Kru County has formally withdrawn his membership from the Congress of Democratic Change, citing a litany of reasons.

Report by Henry Karmo – henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Senator Coleman’s resignation letter, which FrontPageAfrica has obtained, stated that over the last three years, the CDC has gradually departed from its initial principles on which it was founded.

The Grand Kru lawmaker claimed that he finds it difficult to comprehend the decisions reached by the Executive Committee of the CDC and have found himself at loggerheads with the leadership.

“The most recent decision regarding the direction of the Party as it relates to the ensuing General and Presidential Elections has brought me at complete variance with the CDC,” he wrote.

“Mr. Chairman and members of the Executive Committee, it is in this light with profound regrets, I am officially resigning from the Congress for Democratic Change. I wish you, members of the Executive Committee and partisans of the CDC all the best in your future engagement.”

Senator Coleman joined the CDC in 2005. According to him, his membership was because he wholeheartedly embraced the principles, objectives, and goals of the Party.

The office of Senator George Weah (CDC-Montserrado County) last year communicated with the executive committee of the party to allow its grievance and ethics committee to seek clarification from the senator, who’s also a medical doctor (CDC-Grand Kru) about his alleged involvement in the JFK Hospital saga.

According to a press release then from the office of the Senator, the communication to the ethics committee was meant to probe the Senator, who is a member of the party’s legislative caucus, on his monthly receipt of professional service fees from the John F. Kennedy Medical Center.

Senator Peter Coleman (CDC-Grand Kru County) in response to the mandate from Weah office termed it as laughable. Coleman, in a release, questioned the existence of the Party Grievance and Ethics committee.

Sen. Coleman is believed to be among many other senators from the Southeast who have pledged support to the presidency of Vice President Joseph Boakai, standard bearer of the ruling Unity Party.

Monrovia – Contrary to statement from the Senate last week that there was no fraud in the handling of the Senate’s special sitting benefits as was reported legislature press bureau, documents in the possession of FrontPageAfrica shows that the committee set up to investigate the saga recommended suspension for Senators who were involved in handling the money.

Report by Henry Karmo – henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com 

The document also states that Senators were informed that only 50% of their salary would be available for the special sitting contrary to the 100% information.

It was later reviled that the amount available was 50% which was US$210k and additional US$210K would have been made available to complete full payment.

The report stated: “Based on the non-compliance which led to apparent integrity issues, we hereby recommend that those involved should be suspended for a period of six months. With reference to the amount outstanding, we strongly recommend that the remaining payment should be made to every Senator in equity (retroactive) as the amount was.”

The leaked document in the possession of FrontPageAfraica shows that some Senators felt disrespected by the manner and form their extra sitting benefits were paid. The amount was disbursed discriminatively, they believe.

The money was disbursed by various categories of Senators.

Senators in the higher categories got more than those in the lower categories, when all senators should have been compensated equally, the report said.

The document also shows that the President Pro-Tempore informed the Senate that he was consulted on how the money should be disbursed.

The document also stated that Senators were informed that only 50% of their salary would have been available for the special sitting contrary to the 100% information that was actually available.

The committee in its report also recommended that all financial transactions at the Liberian Senate should be conducted through the financial system.

A statement issued by the Senate Press Bureau a fortnight ago indicated that there hasn’t been any act of corruption by any Senator or group of Senators as it was reported in the media over the past days.

Initially, Senators Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, Edward B. Dagoseh and Peter Coleman were accused by their colleagues of failing to account for over US$300,000 which was intended to pay Senators and their staffs.

The Senate immediately setup an investigative committee to probe the three Senators over the alleged embezzlement.

It is not yet clear whether the committee’s recommendation would be implemented or not. But the Legislature press bureau, despite the committee’s report, had announced that the Senate did not detect any fraud. 

Monrovia – A statement issued by the Senate Press Bureau last Friday averred that there hasn’t been any act of corruption by any Senator or group of Senators as it was reported in the media over the past days.

Report by Henry Karmo – henrykarmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

Untamed rumor on the inability of three members of the Liberian Senate to account for over US$300,000 intended for payment of Senators and their staffs for the extraordinary sitting has been refuted by the leadership of the Senate.

Senators Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, Chairman of the Executive Committee; Edward B. Dagoseh, Chairman of the Ways, Means, Finance & Budget Committee and Peter Coleman were accused of pocketing the money by their colleagues in the Senate.

The Senate immediately setup an investigative committee to probe the three Senators over the alleged embezzlement.

Last Thursday, the Senate held an unusual session in which they stayed behind closed door up to 7:00 PM discussing the alleged saga.

However, all indications show that Senate preyed on baseless rumors without seeking facts before setting up the investigative committee.

A statement issued by the Senate Press Bureau last Friday averred that there hasn’t been any act of corruption by any Senator or group of Senators as it was reported in the media over the past days.

The investigative committee last Thursday informed Plenary that contrary to the widely held perception, only 50 per cent of the expected amount (US$420,000 – expected amount) was given to the trio for disbursement.

The  information was confirmed by the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning and its Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS), which raised the voucher for the 50 per cent payment.

Document in the procession of FrontPageAfrica reveals that voucher for payment of the second installment of US$21,000.00 was raised last Friday, November 25, 2016.

Disbursement of First Installment

• Total Amount – US$210,000.00
• President Pro-Tempore – US$7,500.00
• Senate Leadership (8 Senators – US$6,000 per Senator) – US$48,000.00
• Category 1 (5 Senators @ US$4,500) – US$22,000.00
• Category 2 (6 Senators @ US$4,000) – US$24,000.00
• Category 3 (10 Senators @ US$3,500) – US$35,000.00
• Secretariat 1 – US$1,500.00
• Secretariat 2 – US$1,000.00
• Public Accounts Committee – US$5,775
• Staff (Pro-Tempore) – US$4,268
• Staff (Senate & Central Administration) – US$50,000.00
• Senate Operation Expense – US$10,457.00

Monrovia – Legislative sources have told FrontPageAfrica that three members of the Liberian Senate (Geraldine Doe-Sheriff, Edward Dagoseh, and Peter Coleman) are being investigated over their alleged manhandling of more US$300,000 intended to pay staff and senators for the extra sitting called by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

“I am not allowed to disclose what is discussed behind closed door.”

“There is a rule that prevents me from doing that, so if there is anything the public need to know it will come from the Pro-Temp of the Senate.” – Sen. Lawrence

According to our source, the Senate set up a committee headed by Sen. Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, but the three Senators have refused to cooperate with the investigation.

FrontPageAfrica further gathered that based on the refusal of the embattled Senators to cooperate with the investigation, other members of the Senate who are now victims of the alleged corrupt act, are calling for the expulsion of the three Senators from the Senate.

Other Senators are calling for a lesser punishment and that they should be removed from committees and be made to restitute the money.

When contacted, Senator Karnga-Lawrence refused to confirm or deny whether there was such investigation on going with the Senators, but said in a telephone interview:

“I am not allowed to disclose what is discussed behind closed door.”

“There is a rule that prevents me from doing that, so if there is anything the public need to know it will come from the Pro-Temp of the Senate,” she said.

  Senators   named in the scandal were tight-lipped, despite all attempts by journalist Wednesday to have them comment on the allegation; but sources say the Senate is expected to come up with the full report Thursday for a decision.

The amount in question according to sources is US$425,000, our source said.

The three senators received the full amount from the Ministry of Finance as payment for the extra sitting.

Our source said, of the amount, US$125,000 was intended to pay the staffers of the Legislature who were compelled to return with their bosses.

Our source further told us that Sen. Milton Teahjay who managed to get a copy of the voucher from a confidant at the Ministry of Finance & Development Planning who the one who informed his colleagues about the alleged syndicate.

Sources close to one of the accused also told FrontPage Africa that the though the money was received, only 50% of total amount was released by the Finance Ministry and said amount was disbursed to members of Senate based on positions on committees.

“We received the money but it was half of the money the Senate is expected to receive, so we decided to share it based on category; that is people who return to the special session would receive 50 percent of what they were expected to receive,” the source said.

One of the names mentioned in the alleged scandal is Senator Peter Coleman Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health. He was early this year accused of receiving payments from the JFK Hospital which was contrary to Article 90b of the Constitution.

He, however, argued that the money he received from Hospital was a professional fee.

Monrovia – The Special Presidential Task Force set up to probe the Global Witness corruption report implicating current and former officials of government says contrary to speculations, Sen. Peter Coleman is not undergoing any probe that it is spearheading.

The Minister of State without Portfolio, and Chairman on the Special Presidential Task Force, Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa insists that Sen. Peter Coleman is not a subject of any investigation conducted by the Task Force.

Minister Koffa clarifies that his visit to the office of the Senator on Wednesday (May, 25, 2016) morning was on a private medical ground.

“The Senator is not under any probe. Sen. Coleman is not a subject of any investigation conducted by the Task Force,” he said.

Monrovia – Senator Peter Coleman (CDC-Grand Kru County) says the call by the Political Leader of the Congress for Democratic Change, Senator George Weah, for the CDC Grievance and Ethics Committee to probe him for “Conflict of interest” as it relates to “Professional Services” at the JFK, is laughable.

Senator Coleman, in a release, questioned the existence of the Party Grievance and Ethics committee by saying; “Does the CDC have a Grievance and Ethics Committee?

If so, where have they been all these years with so many ethical transgressions being committed by the Leadership of the Party and other Executive Members of the party including its Political Leader?

Senator Coleman in his release said he was constrained to clarify that he is not one of those legislators that needed the popularity of Mr. Weah to be elected.

 “I was elected clearly based on the merits of my work and care for the good people of Grand Kru County”, he added.

According to him since 2013, he and the CDC have had a very strained relationship when he refused to provide support to the CDC in Montserrado County based on the fact that he had to support the CDC in his own county (Grand Kru).

According to Dr. Coleman, Montserrado had the majority of the legislators and they should take care of their county.

He said being the only CDC legislator from Grand Kru County he has an enormous responsibility to handle the affairs of the CDC in Grand Kru.

This, he said, did not go down well with the leadership of the CDC and since then, he has dissociated himself from the CDC and perhaps this is the reason Senator Weah is calling for a probe.

He further stated in his release that it is very unfortunate that the party did not comprehend the elaborate explanation provided by his office that made reference to the Code of Conduct that vindicated him.

“The Professional Services rendered the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and the A. M. Dogliotti: School of Medicine, University of Liberia, by a well learned Surgeon was and remains vital in the public interest.”

“Well, let the CDC know that Senator Dr. Peter S. Coleman of Grand Kru County will not avail himself to be a part of any probe by its “so-called” Grievance and Ethics Committee. “

“Dr. Coleman said he should have resigned from the Congress for Democratic Change more than two (2) years ago, but he always thought that the CDC will get better and perhaps the appropriate time has now arrived to severe whatsoever Umbilical Cord existing between the CDC and Senator Coleman.”

He then wished the Congress for Democratic Change well and called for mutual Respect for professionals within the party.

In a release by the office of Senator George Weah (CDC-Montserrado County) last week, the Congress for democratic Change (CDC) political leader   said he communicated with the leadership of the party to allow its Grievance and ethics committee examine and seek clarification from Senator Dr. Peter Coleman about is involvement in the JFK saga.

In a newsletter, the Montserrado County senator is quoted as calling on the Grievance and Ethic Committee to Probe senator Coleman who is a member of the party legislative caucus, on his monthly receipt of professional service fees from the John F. Kennedy Medical center.

“Upon his return senator Weah will receive the report of the CDC Grievance and Ethics Committee and consider its recommendations,” the statement stated.

Henry Karmo (0886522495) henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com