Monrovia – The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) has dismissed allegations linking prominent businessman Upjit Singh Sachdeva, commonly known as “Jetty,” to the prolonged detention of individuals arrested in connection with a violent protest at the Salala Rubber Corporation (SRC) in Weala, Margibi County.

In a statement issued in Monrovia, the CSNL described the claims as baseless propaganda fueled by ignorance and intended to tarnish Mr. Jetty’s reputation. The group warned that such misinformation could create unnecessary divisions between him and SRC employees.

Government’s Legal Action, Not Jetty’s Doing

The CSNL clarified that Mr. Jetty is not involved in the ongoing legal proceedings against former SRC employees. Contrary to speculation, the businessman is not influencing the court’s handling of the case against the former Workers’ Union President, Madam Mary P. Boimah, Secretary-General Lawrence Gorgbor, and others, the group said.

“The Government of Liberia is prosecuting Madam Boimah and her colleagues for their alleged role in the violent June 27, 2024, protest against the former management of SRC,” the statement issued by CSNL through its executive director Sensee Kiadii said. “Mr. Jetty only took over the corporation months after the incident. It is misleading to suggest he is controlling the legal process.”

The organization further explained that the court has refused to release the detained individuals because authorities are still pursuing other suspects named in the arrest warrants. Releasing them at this stage, CSNL said, could compromise the ongoing case.

Employment Decisions Based on Policy, Not Retaliation

CSNL’s investigation revealed that accusations against Mr. Jetty stem from SRC’s decision not to rehire Madam Boimah and her associates. However, the group pointed out that when Mr. Jetty acquired the company, all employees were paid off, and recruitment for new staff was conducted based on merit.

“The new SRC management had full discretion to rehire or not rehire former employees based on its policies,” CSNL noted. “Considering the indictment against Madam Boimah and others, it was both ethically and professionally reasonable not to reinstate them.”

The group argued that holding Mr. Jetty accountable for a court case that predates his ownership of SRC is both “illogical and unfair.”

CSNL Calls for an End to False Accusations

While condemning unlawful imprisonment, the CSNL reminded the public that Madam Boimah has a history of involvement in violent protests, including an incident that led to the burning of a police station and a magisterial court in Kakata, Margibi County.

The organization urged Liberians to refrain from politicizing security and investment issues, warning that wrongful accusations against investors could drive away potential business opportunities.

“The habit of shifting blame and attacking investors in Liberia can deter future investments,” the statement warned. “We must allow the common good of the country to prevail.”

MONROVIA – Former Indian Honorary Consul General to Liberia Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva has committed to the provision of 200 bags of rice and 50 bags of beans for inmates at the Monrovia Central Prison (MCP) as part of efforts to curb the growing wave of hunger at the facility.

By Obediah Johnson

The MCP is the biggest and most congested prison facility in Liberia.

Currently, more than 1300 inmates are reprimanded at the facility.

It can be recalled that some time ago, the Minister of Justice disclosed that inmates at the MCP were eating “dry rice” due to the huge financial constraints confronting the Monrovia Central Prison.

His assertions were made when he appeared for public hearing on the draft national budget for 2023 that is before the National Legislature.

Speaking when he donated sumptuous hot cooked meal with cake, soft drink and water to the inmates on February 11, Mr. Sachdeva disclosed that he will this Tuesday, February 14, present about 200 bags of rice and 50 bags of beans for the inmates.

The distribution of the hot cooked meal to the inmates is a normal routine of the Indian businessman.

“We have come here again with hot nourished meal for the inmates of the Monrovia Central Prison. As I have always said, don’t give to get, but give to inspire others. I came with rice, beans with chicken, soft drink and water.”

He observed that inmates being reprimanded cannot go outside to fetch for themselves, and as such, those who are in a position to help, should do so and expect nothing in return.

Mr. Sachdeva said the donation of rice and beans to the prison will also be extended to other prison compounds across the country.

“Today, I on behalf of Indian Business Chamber which I am the founding chairman, we will  in the next one or two days provide 200 bags of rice and 50 bags of rice to the Monrovia Central Prison so they can serve other prisons across the country for them to have nourished meal for sometimes.”

“This is the way of the Indian Business Chamber to identify themselves with the people of Liberia.”

For his part, the Superintendent of the Monrovia Central Prison Varney Lake commended “Jeety” for always coming to the aid of inmates not only at the MCP, but other prison facilities across the country.

He said authorities of the prison remain grateful and delighted over the contribution of the Indian Chamber to combat hunger at the prison.

He observed that the huge challenges confronting inmates at the facility cannot be addressed by the government alone.

Mr. Lake maintained that the proper handling of donations and gestures from “Jeety” and others continues to serve as a stepping stone for them to always make donations and interventions at the facility.

He used the occasion to commend members of the Liberian media for also consistently flagging the constraints the prison sector in Liberia is faced with.

“As you are all aware, there are lots of challenges that we are faced with and government cannot do it all.”

Monrovia – The Honorary Consul General of India, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, has over the last six days fed nearly 11,000 Liberians living on the margin of their society.

By Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskaijohnson@gmail.com

This is a personal initiative of Mr. Sachdeva, a very popular Indian businessman, who is more famously known in Liberia as “Mr. Jeety.”

Jeety, along with his Jeety Trading Corporation, the name of his business empire, in six days have fed 10,817 people with hot, ready-cooked Liberian dishes.

He himself has been a part of all the six feeding programs. He begins feeding these Liberians, who inarguably live on less than US$0.50 daily, by 15:00 hours when the curfew or lockdown goes into effect.

Jeety has always refused to speak to the press about this particular gesture that he is personally doing. Notwithstanding, at Saturday, May 9^th feeding, he said in passing, when a journalists covering the occasion was seeking his permission for interview: “Look, my friend, I don’t want to talk about this. These are my people; this is my second home. All I want is more prayers for more of God’s blessings on me.”

He began Saturday’s feeding at his Vai Town business headquarters with few hundred older, young and very young Liberians forming two queues to be served the hot and tasty palm butter already packaged for take home.

From Vai Town, he and his team, along with officers of the Liberian National Police (LNP), who accompanied to provide security, made stops on Buchanan Street, Center Street, Randall Street, Newport Street and in Logan Town’s Zolowee Community, to handout the packaged palm butter with rice and one sachet of water. On all these streets in the heart of Monrovia and in Logan Town, are located dens for these destitute Liberians.

In all these places, those of them who spoke to this newspaper, praised Jeety so highly for his gesture to them.

“We just wait for Mr. Jeety to come give us something to eat everyday. Since the lockdown began, we don’t go anywhere to hustle now. So, we just wait for Mr. Jeety to bring us food. God is going to continually bless him,” said a pregnant lady, who only identified herself as Ora, on Center Street.

Some expressed real anger against the government and President George Manneh Weah. Most said they voted for him thinking that he was going to be there for them. Sadly, they now think that the President has failed them.

Mr. Jeety has over the last five years been feeding ordinary Liberians, who go to his Vai Town feeding center five days a week to get hot, ready-cooked Liberian dish.

Other Gestures

The Honorary Consul General on Wednesday, May 6, donated 10,000 doses of the vital selenium drug used in the supportive treatment of Covid-19 patients and others.

Honorary Consul General Sachdeva presented the two cartons containing 100 bottles each of the drugs to Dr. Jerry Brown, at the 14 Military Hospital in Margibi County, where Liberia’s Covid-19 confirmed cases are kept and being given supportive treatments against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-nCoV-2.

Again on April 11, 2020, Mr. Jeety led the Indian Community in Liberia and they made a donation valued more than US$40,000 through Dr. Jerry Brown to the 14 Military Hospital and to the army assigned at the hospital.

During that donation ceremony, he informed Dr. Brown that he had honored his request and brought in the specific things he had asked him for a day earlier. “During my conversation yesterday and day before with Dr. Brown, he was very passionate and worried about the safety of health workers at the hospital and requested for 10 aluminum doors (5-double doors) which without hesitation and waiting for the donation ceremony, we delivered it yesterday. Also he requested us for folding hospital beds, nurses’ uniforms, bed sheets, pillow, pillow covers, electric washing machine and electric dryer among others.  Dr. Brown, we are pleased to inform you that we have brought everything as part of our donation.” 

Zogos and Zogeese

Most of those Liberians, who are fed are vagrants, locally known as ‘zogos’ for men and ‘zogeese’ for women. These men and women and sometimes kids, also live wildly, including residing among the dead in the cemetery. They are also illicit substance abusers. They make their living by doing some very odd jobs, garbage scavenging, car washing, helping commuters to get car for their various destinations and hard labor chaos, like grass cutting. However, chief among their operations, is to snatch valuables, which they sell for cheap just to buy their contraband. It has also been reported that most of them do arm rob, too.

Monrovia – The Honorary Consul General of India, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, who is more popularly known in Liberia as Jeety, Wednesday, May 6, donated 10,000 doses of the vital selenium drug used in the supportive treatment of Covid-19 patients and others.

By Alaskai Moore Johnson, alaskaijohnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

Honorary Consul General Sachdeva presented the two cartons containing 100 bottles each of the drugs to Dr. Jerry Brown, at the 14 Military Hospital in Margibi County, where Liberia’s Covid-19 confirmed cases are kept and being given supportive treatments against the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-nCoV-2.

Presenting the items to Dr. Brown, Mr. Jeety, said it is his humbled desire to do whatever little he can to do for the 14 Military Hospital and the people of Liberia. The donation was part of his personal gesture.

He further told journalists that he wasn’t in the position to disclose the amount he had spent in purchasing and having them brought to Liberia via DHL at this time when all commercial flights are banned from landing in Liberia. Liberia is presently locked down; only special chartered flights are allowed to taxi on the runway as the nation battles the virus.

Speaking further, Mr. Jeety, who is also a renowned Indian businessman in Liberia, said he is being pushed further to help Liberia because, “I just feel this is my home, so I must do whatever I can to help.” He has lived most of his years in Liberia than his home country of India.

“I was in the US and as the crisis was heating up, I ran back here to put all resources at my disposal—personal or from Indians living in Liberia—to whatever we can do for the people of Liberia,” he said. He further stated that he believes that Liberia is his home and whatever he can do for Liberia and Liberians, he will do. He stated categorically that he doesn’t need anything in return from the government; adding: “I just need blessings and prayers.”

“Let it be known that this is not the cure for Covid-19 but we use it as a supplement for our patients here, and we also use it as supplement for the staff working here. We use it to boost our immunity, to have a robust immunity just in case we get exposed.”

Dr. Jerry Brown, Head Doctor, 14 Military Hospital

Dr. Jerry Brown

Receiving the items, Dr. Brown, who was one of those leaders in the fight against the 2014 Ebola outbreak, expressed how elated they are for the donation. “Let it be known that this is not the cure for Covid-19 but we use it as a supplement for our patients here, and we also use it as supplement for the staff working here. We use it to boost our immunity, to have a robust immunity just in case we get exposed.”

Dr. Brown disclosed that they mix the selenium with other drugs, which he didn’t name, adding: “Using it as a supplement with other drugs seems to be working; we are getting results with the very little resources we have. We don’t have a lot of sophisticated equipment, as God would have it, we are yielding success.”

He said they had run out of supply of selenium and having realized that it can’t be found locally, he reached out to Mr. Jeety to help.

Eugene Fahngon

Deputy Information Minister Eugene Fahngon, who spoke on behalf of the government, expressed his heartfelt thanks to Mr. Jeety for his timely personal initiative. Mr. Fahngon further stated, “We want to use this occasion to call on all of our partners and all of the people helping us to see reasons to continue to help us.”

He told Mr. Jeety that President George Weah is very keen on donations that come from people like him.

“You may recall he asked all hands to come on board. He was very sincere when he asked everyone to get on board,” he concluded.      

Recent Donation

On April 11, 2020, Mr. Jeety led the Indian Community in Liberia and they made a donation valued more than US$40,000 through Dr. Brown to the hospital and to the army assigned at the hospital.

“To honor the health workers (50) including doctors, nurses, janitorial staff, lab assistants etc., assigned at hospital, we have brought for them two bags of rice per head and in sealed envelope separately US$100 for each health worker. For Dr. Brown, we have brought envelope of US$1000 along with two bags of rice. We are also giving 100 bags of rice to the gallant men & women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who are serving at the hospital.”

India’s Honorary Consul General in Liberia, Mr. Upjit Singh SAchdeva

During that donation ceremony, He informed Dr. Brown that he had honored his request and brought in the specific things he had asked him for a day earlier. “During my conversation yesterday and day before with Dr. Brown, he was very passionate and worried about the safety of health workers at the hospital and requested for 10 aluminum doors (5-double doors) which without hesitation and waiting for the donation ceremony, we delivered it yesterday. Also he requested us for folding hospital beds, nurses’ uniforms, bed sheets, pillow, pillow covers, electric washing machine and electric dryer among others.  Dr. Brown, we are pleased to inform you that we have brought everything as part of our donation.” 

Mr. Jeety than also made one of the best announcements: “To honor the health workers (50) including doctors, nurses, janitorial staff, lab assistants etc., assigned at hospital, we have brought for them two bags of rice per head and in sealed envelope separately US$100 for each health worker. For Dr. Brown, we have brought envelope of US$1000 along with two bags of rice. We are also giving 100 bags of rice to the gallant men & women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who are serving at the hospital.”

It was at this donation ceremony that he told Dr. Brown that he (Jeety) was just a phone call away and that whatever he needs for the hospital, he (Brown) shouldn’t hesitate to call him.

Boys Town, Margibi – Indians living in Liberia have made a “huge” donation to the medical personnel and the soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia assigned at the 14 Military Hospital in Margibi County.

The 14 Military Hospital is where more than 25 of the country’s over 35 confirmed cases of the Covid-19 are being kept, observed and given supportive treatments.

Honorary Indian Consul General

Before he presented the items which were in the buckets of nine trucks, the Honorary Consul General of India, Mr. Upjit Singh Sachdeva, who is popularly known in Liberia as Jeety, told the Liberians doing all to save lives at the 14 Military Hospital that on behalf of Indians living in Liberia and as Honorary Consul General of India in Liberia, they had gone there to identify with them. 

“We are touched by the level of work done by doctors, nurses, janitors and all other health workers and the gallant men & women of the Armed Forces of Liberia.

“We are so proud of you all for risking your lives to save others’ lives is priceless. I on behalf of Indians living in Liberia, we salute you for your courage, dedication, commitment to save each and every precious life in Liberia.”

Mr. Sachdeva singled out Dr. Jerry Brown, who was one of those leaders in the fight against the 2014 Ebola outbreak. “Now he has taken charge to defeat and win over COVID-19 Coronavirus. I would like to mention here with pride and honor the selfless commitment of Dr. Jerry Brown and his passionate love for his patients. He was the Man of the Year for EBOLA and he will be Coronavirus Hero in Liberia.”

He also informed Dr. Brown that he had honored his request and brought in the specific things he had asked him for a day earlier. “During my conversation yesterday and day before with Dr. Brown, he was very passionate and worried about the safety of health workers at the hospital and requested for 10 aluminum doors (5-double doors) which without hesitation and waiting for the donation ceremony, we delivered it yesterday. Also he requested us for folding hospital beds, nurses uniforms, bed sheets, pillow, pillow covers, electric washing machine and electric dryer among others.  Dr. Brown, we are pleased to inform you that we have brought everything as part of our donation.” 

The Indian diplomat, who said Liberia is their second home, than made one of the best announcements: “To honor the health workers (50) including doctors, nurses, janitorial staff, lab assistants etc., assigned at hospital, we have brought for them two bags of rice per head and in sealed envelope separately US$100 for each health worker. For Dr. Brown, we have brought envelope of US$1000 along with two bags of rice. We are also giving 100 bags of rice to the gallant men & women of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who are serving at the hospital.”

Before he presented the envelopes and list of all the items on the trucks to Foreign Minister Gbehzohngar Milton Findley, Mr. Jeety told Dr. Brown that the donation was an initial gesture from their community and that he (Dr. Brown) should feel free to call on them anything should there be a need.

Foreign Minister Findley

Responding, Foreign Minister Findley expressed President George Weah’s heartfelt thanks and appreciation for the donation.

“The President is very concerned on how we win this battle against this Coronavirus. He wants to see all Liberians joining together to fight this virus,” he stated.

The Foreign Minister congratulated the personnel of the Armed Forces of Liberia, who were being led by one Colonel Dada, for the level of work they had done on the facilities, which is not fully operational as a hospital.

He than passed over the envelopes and one list of items to Dr. Brown and also handed a list, too, to Col. Dada for him to be in the know of the things donated by the Indians.

“We only pray to the Almighty God that as you all endeavor to do your work that God will guide, protect and save all of you,” he stated.

Colonel Dada, AFL

Also speaking, Col. Dada of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) thanked the Foreign Minister and Mr. Jeety; adding: “We are in this fight together with the nurses and doctors. We will ensure that we assist them in any way possible to make their jobs much easier.” He promised to convey to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia the 100 bags of rice that the Indians had given.

Dr. Jerry Brown

Also speaking, Dr. Brown, who now heads the medical team at the 14 Military Hospital, thanked Mr. Jeety and the Indian Community.

“It is not about the money for which the staff has decided to come here, but it is about ensuring that we all work together to restore peace and sanity in our country. As long as Corona continues to exist in our communities, neighborhood, in our country there won’t be peace.”

Dr. Brown, who was one of those who were on the frontline battling the deadly Ebola virus disease, appealed to every Liberian to adhere to all the health protocols.

“As you have come with these gifts, we have one passionate appeal to all Liberians. Please note that the coronavirus exists. If you have been doubting it, please know that it is in Liberia. Please adhere to those safety measures: social distancing is very important, washing your hands is very important, avoid large crowd. That is the only way we can all work together to prevent corona from spreading further.” He warned that if Liberians do otherwise, there will be many deaths and a long way to go.

Thanking Pres. Weah

He also used the occasion to thank the President for his vision to construct the facility that is now being used to host those who have come down so far with the virus.

“Had he not been visionary enough, today there would have been difficult have a site to attend to corona patients,” he said.

Update on Patients

Giving updates on the 26 confirmed persons who he and others are now looking after, he thanked God that his patients have all been stable and none has had any critical complications so far that will require some sophisticated medical equipment like ventilation, oxygen, etc.

He, however, appealed for those pieces of medical equipment that are needed at the 14 Military Hospital. He stated that efforts are being made by partners to supply them with those essentials pieces of equipment.

He controversially said those who have died as a result of the virus, “are those who refused to come for care when they were sick.”       

Items Donated

Among the 45 items presented to Dr. Brown and others were 100 cartons of Nice Biscuits, 10 cartons Digestive Biscuits, 100 cartons tissue, 200 cartons soap and 50 cartons Clora bleach. The Indians also presented 50 pieces of Hospital Folding Beds, 50 pieces Elegance single mattresses, 50 pieces pillows, 50 pieces bed sheets with pillow covers, five bails of Nursing Uniforms, one piece of LG Electric washer and one piece of LG Electric Dryer among others.