PHOTO: NEC Chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah and one of her lawyers on the court grounds
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia – Criminal Court “C” was a place of attraction on Friday afternoon, when the opposition Liberty Party’s embattled National Chairman, Musa Hasan Bility, the Judas in the Collaborating Political Party (CPP) was seen escorting the National Elections Commission (NEC) Chairperson Davidetta Brown Lansanah to have her bail bond signed for.
It was some 24 hours after a writ of arrest was issued on her on Thursday December 23, 2021.
The NEC chairperson was also on December 24 escorted by her lawyers, Cllr. Wilkins Wrights and Cllr. Teage Jalloh, along with her brothers.
She filed a three hundred and sixty-seven thousand United States dollars bond from the Accident and Causality Insurance Company (ACICO).
Madam Browne-Lansanah was indicted and issued a writ of arrest on Thursday December 23,2021, on multiple charges ranging predicate offense of money laundering, insider trading, manipulation, conflict of interest and violation of the code of conduct among others.
Prior to the writ of arrest, an Indictment was drawn against her the Ministry of Justice and an investigation conducted by the LACC linking her to corruption in the just ended by elections in four counties.
Mr. Bility has been accused of conniving with the government to destroy the CPP, a claimed he has repeatedly dismissed. He was seen at the court along with the NEC chairperson and Liberia’s Solicitor General walking with the NEC boss and coming from Judge Ciapha Carey office.
Musa Bility entering the court
It was earlier reported that Mr. Bility was the one who secured the bail bond for the NEC boss.
At about 1:30Pm, Liberia’a Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas arrived at the Temple of Justice and within two minutes, the Liberty Party Chairman Bility arrived and later followed by the NEC boss.
The appearance of the Liberia Solicitor General and Musa Bility raised eyebrows at the court.
After the signing of her bond, Cllr. Syrenius Cephas was seen riding with another lawyer, Alihaji Swaliho A. Sesay together with lawyers representing the NEC boss Musa Bility and Madam Brown Lansanah rode in a convoy and went to unknown destination.
NEC boss’ indictment
Count one of her indictment states that on August 17,2021, in the City of Monrovia, Republic of Liberia, the within named defendant Davidetta Brown Lansannah wrote Atty. Jarbe Roseline Nagbe Kowo, chief executive officer of the Public procurement and concession commission informed that NEC has received funding from the Government of Liberia to conduct the by-election of four counties namely Bomi, Bong, Nimba and Grand Gedeh in a letter dated August 27,2021, Captioned PPCC response to NEC request for approval of Bomi, Bong, Nimba and Grand Gedeh by elections procurement: plan(SBA and Non SBA) special budget year 2021”Atty. Jargbe Roseline Nagbe Kowo approved the request and procurement plan sent by the NEC and Atty. Kowo also approved a restricted bidding for computer supplies, ICT equipment and verification equipment rental as indicated in the NEC procurement plan.
That the purpose of you defendant Brown Lansannah requesting for restricted bidding was to place your two brothers company Tuma at an advantage position.
Count two says that though the NEC procurement plan was approved by the PPCC, the NEC nevertheless failed to specify the line item verification equipment rental as to the kind of equipment, model, and brand of equipment to be procured or rented.
Below is the rest of the indictment:
That Brown Lansannah knew or have to know that Tuma enterprise is owned and operated by your two brothers Arnold Badio and David Brown.
As head of the procurement committee at NEC on September 1, 2021, invited three companies Tuma enterprise Inc. Hak technology and Smart systems to submit sealed bid for the rental electronic verification system to be used in the Representative by election in Bomi, Bong, Nimba and Grand Gedeh counties.
That at your apparent persuasion and or revelation or both, under guidance as head of the procurement committee only Tuma enterprise Inc. responded to the bidding committee and the two other companies which did not know your vested interest in this exercise,never responded to the NEC for participation.
This act on your part as head of the procurement committee, to deliberately and willfully concealed said information for an apparent pecuniary interest or family relation undermines the entire process and it show that you provided the information to your brothers of the NEC intention to rent verification equipment for which their company bided thus committing the crime predicate for money laundering, insider trading, and market manipulation.
Count three that on September 10,2021, in an internal memo, that you Brown Lansannah chairperson of the procurement committee knew or have reason to know that Tuma enterprise Inc. is owned and operated by your two brothers Arnold Badio and David Brown constituted two bid evaluation penals constituting five members each to evaluate the contract packages for computer supplies and ICT equipment /IFB No. NEC/ BRE/RB/001/2021 and the electronic verification system rental/IFB No. NEC/SBA/BRE/RB/001/2021 that a evaluation reported dated September 17,2021,concluded that Tuma enterprise Inc was considered the more responsive bidder in relation to its price (182,320.00) indicated.
The price stated for Tuma inc accounted for the lease for the lease of 18 prices of verification system and two set to be owned by NEC.
That you Brown Lansannah knew or have reason to know that Tuma enterprise Inc is owned and operated by your two brothers Arnold Badio and David Brown on September 27,2021, the contract with IFB No: NEC /BRE/ BR/001/2021, for verification equipment rental for the Representative by elections in Bomi, Bong, Nimba and Grand Gedeh Counties was entered into by and between the NEC represented by you Davidetta Brown Lansannah and MEC Co-chairperson and the Tuma enterprise Inc represented by your half brother Chief executive officer Arnold Badio.
That review of the contract submitted to the investigation showed that in consideration of the verification equipment rental, the quantity of which shall exceed 20 sets, shall be provided by the contractor Tuma enterprise Inc. That the NEC upon confirmation that the vendor satisfactorily performed shall pay or cause to be paid the vendor the amount of US$182,320.00 in addition the items of the contract states that a vendor in a timely manner shall develop an artificial intelligence with verification capabilities for the NEC.
That the vendor shall be responsible for the proper use of the verification equipment along with the assigned staffs of NEC. The contract shall commence on the 27 of November 2021,and end on November 20,2021.
That your conduct to knowingly enter a contract with your relationship showed that you used your position as chairperson of the NEC and provide NEC bidding information to them thus constituting predicate offense of money laundering, Insider trading and manipulation.
That a delivery note dated October 13,2021 to the NEC showed that Tuma enterprise Inc delivered 20 sets of facial recognition -detect-13 system that without the software, the system on its performs customizable COVID-19 preventable measures contactless with accuracy within 0.5 degree, safe entry monitoring of facility, smart people and management, facial detection indicating mask wearing. The items were inspected, received and signed for on October 14,2021 by Mr. Stephen Nyema NEC logistics/ warehouse staff.
The delivery note was reviewed and signed for F.T. Kollie of the Internal Agency department at the NEC,” count six of the indictment added