-Less than a week after returning to Liberia
By Peter Toby,tobypeter71@gmail.com
Ellen Corkrum, a Liberian born US military officer and the former Liberia Airport Authority Managing Director during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf regime arrived in Liberia last week, after the CDC government withdrew her corruption case from the Criminal Court, but the government appears to be changing its mind.
Liberia’s Solicitor General Counselor Syrenius Cephus says the Government of Liberia is considering the re-arrest of former Managing Director of the Liberia Airport Authority Madam Ellen Corkrum and others on allegation of corruption.
After doing a series of secret and damaging recordings of conversations with some top Sirleaf government officials on ills in the then government, including former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai and ex-Police chief Chris Massaquoi, she fled the country and returned to the United States where she served in the American military.
That was seven years ago.
Ms. Corkrum, who received a big welcome back to Liberia by some citizens, was sacked and indicted by former President Sirleaf for allegedly stealing hundreds of thousands of US dollars, a charged she had repeatedly denied.
The alleged shady deal she was said to be involved in was valued at US$250,000.00.
Cllr. Cephus told the local Truth FM/RCI Judicial Correspondent in Monrovia on Monday, February 3, 2020 that the CDC government dismissed the criminal indictment against Madam Corkrum as a result of an application to the Court consistent with Chapter 18, Section 18.1 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia.
But the matter was dismissed by the Court with without prejudice to the state, meaning they can reopen the matter.
The Liberian Solicitor General maintained that the Justice Ministry reopened the case at the Criminal Court ‘C’ by re-indicting Madam Ellen Cockrum and others order to face criminal prosecution.
Cllr. Cephus’ account comes after the government dismiss the criminal indictment against Madam Cokrum in December 2019, with application to the Court that subsequently saw her return in the Country.
On arrival in Liberia in Unification city near the Roberts International Airport, Ms. Corkrum pledged support for the leadership of President George Manneh Weah:
“We thank our President George Weah; he’s such a representation of all our people here. We need to make sure that as a people, as a community that we support his leadership, him and ourselves because it takes more than just one person for a nation to be successful.”