Anti Corruption Body Backtrack On Corruption in Government

Corruption is a major challenge and serves as a barrier to improve the livelihood of the population, and enhance their socio-economic, health, political and security needs, as well as lesser the quality of living standards in the country. The systematic practices of corruption decreases the tax revenues generations, increases poverty, destroyed and broken down homes and families, leaves to separations of couples, increases the suffering, leads to more vulnerability, blamed for high prostitutions, and slow pace of public infrastructure, among other things.

But the institution established to fight corruption in public sector has appeared to defeat its own objective, posing a credibility problem for the Liberia Anti-corruption, which before was being applauded by the public in recent months, over the investigation of several cases of corruption looks to be bowing to pressure from higher-ups and working to distance itself from its own findings.

Recently a leaked report from the LACC bearing the official logo, letterhead and other details of the entity hooked the Managing Director of the National Port Authority (NPA) Matilda Parker and the Comptroller Christiana Kpabar Paelay for awarding contracts in violation of the Public Procurement and Concession Law of Liberia. The overall irregularities noted in the NPA contract awarding processes according to the report amounted to more than US$800,000 and President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf acted by suspending the two NPA officials.

But days after the publication, the Executive Chairperson of the LACC, Cllr. James Verdier appearing as speaker during a Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICAT) press briefing disowned the report in which the NPA officials are accused of engaging in fraudulent contract activities while at the same admitting that the LACC is still investigating the NPA boss. Cllr. Verdier in his disclaimer said the report published by FPA was not done by the LACC, but again said the entity is investigating how the report leaked to the press.

“Let me say here also regarding the NPA report, the LACC has not released to the press any report on the NPA. Whatever you saw in the FrontPageAfrica is not LACC report, right now we are conducting an investigation as how they got that report and they published it that is not the LACC report”, said Cllr. Verdier. FrontPageAfrica Editor Rodney Sieh, in a letter to readers published in both online and print editions Friday said the LACC boss summoned him to a meeting last week in a bid to inquire how he obtained the report but he refused to reveal his sources.

Sieh says he was surprised the LACC chair was more concerned about finding out how the report was leaked and explained that the LACC chair never once questioned the authenticity of the report during the meeting at the LACC. The LACC chairperson statement disclaiming the report published in FPA; while at the same time disclosing that there is an ongoing investigation on how the report leaked, has been viewed by many as a major contradiction with some arguing why the LACC chair will announce investigation into how a report leaked when he had already said such report is not the work of the commission.

Chairman Verdier further said: “Besides, like I said, for prosecutorial purposes, when we investigate matters like this, we do not publish our entire report, we publish findings and when you go to LACC website you will see the findings of reports that have been published. What was carried in the FrontPageAfrica was not LACC report. That report has not been released by the LACC”.

According to sources, the LACC boss was pressured to disclaim the publication which has already been cited by President Sirleaf as the basis for her decision to suspend the two NPA officials. The Executive Mansion on April 22, 2015, sent out a dispatch announcing that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had suspended with immediate effect, Ms. Parker and Mrs. Paelay, respectively, based on findings of an investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).

When President Sirleaf suspended the NPA pair, the LACC was commended in several spheres of the Liberian community, but the comment by the commission Chair that it is still investigating and is yet to release a final report on NPA MD parker and the Comptroller is being viewed as a contradiction to the statement from the Executive Mansion where President Sirleaf announced that the two were suspended based on findings from the LACC report. Sources also hint that the suspended NPA MD is fighting to maintain her job as inner circle members of the Sirleaf regime are also backing the NPA MD.

In the 26-page report with a notation at the bottom of each page inscribed: “Final Report LACC case #00147(National Port Authority)”, the LACC alleged that the NPA officials were involved in corruption in the tone of a little more than US$800,000(eight hundred thousand United States Dollars). Executive Mansion sources confided in FPA that the LACC Chairperson held a meeting with President Sirleaf prior to his appearance at the MICAT press briefing Thursday, something analysts say undermines the integrity of the head of the anti-graft institution who is being highly regarded both and Liberia and outside.

Questions are also being raised over why the LACC boss chose to submit his findings to the president regarding the NPA saga when he did not do the same regarding audits with amounts much smaller the amount in the NPA management saga.

During the MICAT press briefing, the LACC Chair mentioned several other investigations ongoing by the commission, mentioning names and disclosing some of the details of these investigations, but failed to make more emphasis on the NPA investigation, which many believe indicates that there is something sinister about the NPA investigation. Chairman Verdier in the official briefing notes circulated by the Commission Public Affairs department while providing details about ongoing investigations by the LACC listed several cases that are currently under investigation by the commission but failed to mention that of the NPA.

Stated Cllr. Verdier: “Cases undergoing Investigation-Allegation of misapplication of 1.2 million USD involving the Deputy Speaker and four members of the House of Representative and the Comptroller of the House on the “ National Consultation” on the passage of a “ New Petroleum Law” for Liberia; Commenced investigations into GAC reports of the Ministry of Public Works; Commenced investigation on GAC reports on River Gee County; Grand Cape Mount County; and Bomi County; Investigation into the Land Rental Fees of District #1, Grand Bassa County involving Deputy Speaker”.

He also mentioned the LACC investigation into compliant from citizens of District 17, Montserrado County alleging misapplication of the County Development Fund and allegation of corruption involving Sparc Technologies Incorporated and Mr. Robert L. Kilby (Former AG) as some of the ongoing investigation. The LACC Chair’s failure to mention the NPA in the list of ongoing investigations after previously announcing that the LACC is still investigating the NPA, and has not released any report to the press, cast further doubts on the statement by the head of an integrity institution.