Claims Verity Newspaper Use “Wrongful” Photo In Corruption Report
PHOTO: Dr. Zobong B. Norman, BCC President
By Alfred Kollie | alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
TUBMANBURGE, Liberia – The President of Bomi Community College (BCC), Dr. Zobong B. Norman, has formally called on Verity Newspaper and its management to issue a printed and public erratum after the publication wrongfully used his photograph in a corruption allegation involving the college.
In its July 28, 2025 edition—both in print and online—Verity Newspaper published a story titled “Over US$1.9 Million Unaccounted for at Two Public Universities”, referencing an investigative report by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
The report alleged financial irregularities at Bomi Community College and Lofa University, including payroll padding and unauthorized withdrawals.
However, Dr. Norman says while the story referred to alleged misconduct during a previous administration, Verity mistakenly used his photograph in the article, creating the false impression that he was directly linked to the corruption.
Speaking at a press conference in Tubmanburg on Friday August 8, 2026, Dr. Norman distanced himself from the allegations and reaffirmed his commitment to transparency and accountability.
He said upon assuming office, he formally requested the Internal Audit Agency (IAA) to conduct an audit of the college’s operations, and subsequently invited the LACC to investigate the previous administration after receiving some information about misappropriation of funds.
According to him, the LACC’s investigation has concluded, but findings are yet to be made public.
”I have no connection to the financial mismanagement referenced in the report,” Dr. Norman stated. “I took proactive steps to ensure proper oversight by initiating the audits myself.”
Despite the wrongful use of his image, the BCC President acknowledged that Verity Newspaper’s CEO, Martin K. N. Kollie, admitted the error via a Facebook comment and apologized on behalf of his team.
Kollie promised to correct the mistake by replacing the image across the publication’s platforms and issuing an official erratum in their next edition.
“Hey Dr. Z.B. Norman, our apologies on behalf of the reporters at Verity for the error,” Kollie wrote. “They will change the photo across our website and social media platforms, and they will also do an erratum in the next edition. This was never intentional; it was an overnight error.”
While the image has been removed from Verity’s online platforms, Dr. Norman insists that the promised erratum has not yet been published in the newspaper’s print edition.
He criticized the publication’s failure to formally retract or clarify the error in writing, which he says continues to damage his reputation.
“This issue goes beyond a simple online correction,” Dr. Norman emphasized. “The report is in circulation and continues to undermine the character and integrity I have built over the years. I am calling on Verity Newspaper to do the honorable and professional thing by issuing a full erratum.”
According to the Verity report, over US$1.5 million and L$9 million were allegedly withdrawn from the Bomi Community College’s project account without justification—an allegation based on a General Auditing Commission (GAC) report.
However, names of individuals linked to the discrepancies have not been officially released.
Dr. Norman reiterated that BCC welcomes the audit process and is cooperating fully with all oversight bodies, including the Ministry of Education.
“Bomi Community College remains committed to upholding the trust placed in us by the Liberian people and government,” he said.
As of this publication, Verity News has yet to release the promised erratum in their print edition.