MONROVIA – Chargé d’Affaires Catherine Rodriguez says while the United States is willing to work with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to investigate sanctioned Liberian government officials, it is incumbent on the anti-graft institution to take charge in investigating and prosecuting these officials. 

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh – gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

“We can work with the LACC, but the investigation needs to be conducted by Liberians. I think this is where the issue is. All the information we have is on the website. For the OFAC, we talk about specific actions- how we arrive at this. It is truly incumbent on the LACC and others to investigate. They have all the information.  The information is here in Liberia, not the United States. So, it is really incumbent on these organizations,” Chargé d’Affaires Rodriguez said.

She said Liberia has institutions capable of investigating and prosecuting corruption and holding wrongdoers accountable, but what is needed is consistent political will within the executive branch and legislature to ensure these institutions have the support and resources they need to carry out the work they were created to do.  “There needs to be greater transparency in government, and YOU should know where YOUR tax money is going,” she said. 

Number keeps soaring

The U.S. diplomat was speaking during her first press roundtable following the latest wave of sanctions imposed by the United States on top Liberian officials.

Last week on Friday, December 8, and Monday, December 11, the U.S. Government sanctioned several Liberian officials including Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee, Finance Minister and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah, Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chie, and Senator Emmanuel Nuquay, along with their spouses and minor children using the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and authorities under section 7031(c) for visa restrictions.

Koijee, was designated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818. The order targets individuals engaged in serious human rights abuses and corruption. Koijee, in addition to human rights abuses, has been accused of corrupt acts such as bribery and misappropriation of state assets. He is alleged to have pressured anti-corruption investigators to cease all corruption investigations.

For Tweah, Chie, and Nuquay, they were accused of abusing their public positions by soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including activities in the mining sector. The immediate family members of the designated individuals, including spouses Delecia Berry Tweah, Abigail Chie, and Ruthtoria Brown Nuquay, as well as Tweah and Nuquay’s minor children, are also included in the sanctions.

The latest sanctions bring to nine, the total number of officials that have been sanctioned by the United States.

In August 22, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned then presidential affairs minister Nathaniel McGill, Solicitor General Sayma Syrenius Cephus, and National Port Authority Managing Director Bill Twehway for their involvement in ongoing public corruption in Liberia.

In December 2021, the U.S. sanctioned Nimba County Senator Prince Yormie Johnson for his alleged involvement in “pay-for-play funding with government ministries and organizations for personal enrichment.”

A year earlier in 2021, outgoing Grand Cape Mount Senator Harry Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman was slapped with the Magnitsky sanctions.  

According to the US, Cllr. Sherman, the Liberian Senate Judiciary Committee offered bribes to multiple judges associated with his trial for a 2010 bribery scheme, and he had an undisclosed conflict of interest with the judge who ultimately returned a not guilty verdict in July 2019.

The US said Sherman has routinely paid judges to decide cases in his favor, and he has allegedly facilitated payments to Liberian politicians to support the impeachment of a judge who had ruled against him.

Mounting calls for investigation

Prior to the latest sanctions, there were mounting calls for previously sanctioned officials to be placed under investigation. Last week, a consortium of civil society organizations called on the LACC to “Launch a timely, robust and impartial investigation into corruption allegations as well as prosecute the concerned officials in line with the Commission’s mandate of investigating and prosecuting all allegations and incidences of corruption in Liberia.”

The group, under the banner “Joint Civil Society Anti-Corruption Initiative” (JOCSAI) called on the LACC to request from the United States Government all information related to corruption allegations involving the sanctioned officials.

Accepting the petition, LACC executive chairperson Alexandra Zoe the petition aligns with the anti-graft institution’s plans for 2024.

“We have outlined plans in 2024 to actively investigate and where necessary prosecute,” she said.

Cllr. Zoe said Since she and her new board of commissioners took over in September of 2023, they have reached out to the U.S. Embassy to cooperate in providing evidence and will continue the engagement.

“The fight against corruption should now take a holistic approach. We encourage all civil society organizations to follow the steps of JOCSAI and that we can all work together to fight against corruption,” she said.