By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Just day after the US State Department announced a public designation banning former Passport Director Andrew D. Wonplo and his family from entering the US for “significant corruption,” the Liberian government has ordered his re-rearrest.
The move, which has apparently been triggered by the Americans’ recent action, the government of President George Weah has now drawn new indictment against Wonplo and eleven others implicated in the thousands of US dollars passport scam.
In a statement on September 10, 2020, US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo said:
“This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94). Under Section 7031(c), once the Secretary of State designates officials of foreign governments for their involvement, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. The law also requires the Secretary of State to either publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to Mr. Wonplo, I am announcing the public designation of his spouse, Dennice Wonplo, and their minor children.”
Defendant Wonplo was indicted during the August 2019 term of court for multiple crimes ranging from Economic Sabotage, theft of property, Forgery and Criminal conspiracy. But charges were dismissed against him by court following a motion to dismissed charges filed by his lawyer and the Court ruled on July 14, 2020, dismissing charges against Wonplo based on state lawyers failure to prosecute the case.
Originally, Wonplo alone was implicated in the scam and removed from office, but this time he returning to court with many others.
The list of indicted persons are Andrew D. Wonplo, former Passport Director, passport division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Adedoyin Emmanuel Atiroko(Nigerian); James S. Fallah, Edward Egbedi; Frauk MB Kamara, Jr; Rannie Binda, Worjiloh David Nippy(Ghanaian); Joseph Harris, Williams Revees, Johnson P. Anderson, N’mengatin A. Konneh, Marian Sory Nimely and others to be identified.
According to the new indictment drawn up by the state, “that between the periods of August 9, 2019, up to and including the 11th day of the August 2019, Co-defendant Andrew Wonplo former passport Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and defendant Adedoyin Emmanuel Atiroko, a Nigerian national were arrested by officers of the National Security Agency( NSA) and turned over to the headquarters of the Liberian national Police for onward Investigation regarding their collective involvement into a Criminal scheme along with Co-defendants James S. Fallah, Edward Egbedi, Frauk MB. Kamara, J. Rannie Binda, Worjiloh David Nippy (Ghanaian), Joseph Harris, Williams Revees, Johnson P. Anderson, N’Mengatin A. Konneh and Marian Sory Nimely and and others to be identified that directly resulted to the commission of the crimes of theft of property, economic Sabotage, fraud and Criminal conspiracy, respectively.
That Co-defendant Wonplo while, serving within the employ of the CDC led government charged with the responsibilities to protect the image and dignity of the Republic of Liberia, received over 4,250(Four thousand two hundred and fifty) pieces of blank Liberian passports for signature and distribution to Liberian upon filing of satisfied and legitimate applications and or request for onward passports.
That Co-defendant Wonplo being in possession of those blank passports, between 2018 and 2019, designed and developed a scheme thereafter, connived, conspired and colluded with Co-defendants Adedoyin Emmanuel Atiroko, Worjiloh David Nippy, James S. Fallah, Johnson P. Anderson, N’Mengatin A. Konneh and others to be identified all non Liberians and began to sell said passports to non-Liberians within and out of the bailiwick of the Republic of Liberia.
That furtherance to ddfendant’s Andrew D. Wonplo Criminal sale of Liberian passports to Ghanaian, Nigerians, Ivorians and others foreign Nationals. While in the Custody of the NSA on the 11th August 2019, an email emerged on his phone from one passport negotiator N’Mengatin A. Konneh to be identified to the effect that there people looking for space to travel to USA or Canada and they willing to pay USD 2,000(two thousand United States dollars) each for Liberian passports.
The indictment said the act of the Defendants caused the government of Liberia sustain a loose over US 30,000, as it is much needed revenue generation.
Meanwhile, Criminal Court ‘C’ has arrested and sent to jail Marian Sory Nimely, while Wonplo and others are at large.
Marian Sory Nimely hiding behind her relative on fear of been photograph while been escorted to jail by court officers today, Thursday, September 17, 2020.