PHOTO: Bollay Siaka, one of the alleged signature soliciting victims
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
KOLAHUN, Liberia- Two separate voter registration ID card issues have taken center stage in Kolahun and its environs relating to garnering of six thousand signatures to declare Lofa County Senatorial seat vacant.
One of such issues is an alleged deception carried out by supporters of defeated Senatorial candidate, Cllr. Joseph Jallah who came second to Samukai in the December 8, 2020 Special Senatorial election on the opposition CPP ticket. It’s claimed that the signature was under the guise of getting COVID-19 benefits, something that has enraged supporters of embattled Senator-elect Brownie J. Samukai.
The other issue is said to be an alleged ploy for farmers to attend agriculture workshop for seven days and at the end of the workshop, they could benefit farming tools and US$30 daily. But it was reportedly discovered that all the two issues were scam.
The Senator-elect and former Defense Minister is yet to be certificated by the National Elections Commission (NEC), in the aftermath of his conviction for corruption by the Criminal Court “C” for stealing the AFL soldiers’ welfare funds.
Mr. Dukuly, who is one of the supporters of Cllr. Joseph Jallah, has however denied the allegations against him.
Some of the alleged victims of the scheme
Recently, six thousand signatures were solicited to declare the Senatorial seat of Lofa vacant. But the real story behind the soliciting of the signatures of citizens were not told.
Majority of the affected signatures victims of scam came from old town and telecom in Kolahun, Lofa County.
According to one of the victims, Bollay Siaka, who was said to have been “criminally fooled” or misled to give his voter’s ID card in the name of benefiting from COVID-19, he was on his way from his farm when he received a call from his wife that his voter registration ID was needed by a supporter of defeated Senatorial candidate identified as Wisdom Dukuly, alias “Sky”.
And the story goes that he told his wife where his ID card was, but cautioned her to be careful who she’s giving his ID card. That was after several other citizens were victimized at the result of the same scam from another individual under false pretense that he was bringing agriculture workshop for farmers.
Mr. Siaka explained that he instructed his wife not to give his voter registration ID card until he come and see the person who collecting the ID card, something his wife adhered to. And he himself took his household ID voter’s ID card to the supporter of the defeated Senatorial candidate who was collecting the ID card.
He further narrated that he was told by the supporter of defeated Senatorial candidate that the COVID-19 benefits will be given to disabled and vulnerable people. But according to him, he never knew it was meant to solicit fignatures for their defeated candidate, Cllr. Joseph Jallah to petition the Supreme Court.
After getting said information later that the ID cards were collected to solicit signatures to declare the Lofa County seat vacant, he immediately requested to get back the voter’s ID card and also requested that his name and those of his household should be deleted from the list.
Another victim of the voter’s registration ID card scam was Mr. Blama Sheriff whose wife’s ID card was taken under the guise of benefiting from COVID-19 package. And to date, his wife’s voter registration ID card is still with them, despite making numerous efforts to get it but to no avail.
Mr. Sheriff told www.newspublictrust.com that since the real story came out the signatures were meant to Solicit Signatures from citizens to declare the seat of Lofa County vacant, he has engaged the supporter of Cllr. Joseph Jallah, who reportedly collected the voter registration ID cards on numerous occasions to give back his wife’s voter registration card but to no avail.
In another development, several women of Old Town in Lofa County were also said to have been misled in giving their voters ID cards in the name of agriculture workshop. They were told that they could get US$30 daily, something that motivated them to give their voter registration ID cards.
One of the women identified as Jartu Cole said that in August of this year, one Isaac Jallah came to them and said that he was bringing Agriculture workshop for them. And at the end of the workshop, they could benefit farming tools.
According to Madam Cole, after their voter registration ID cards were given, they went to the City Hall in Kolahun for three days and couldn’t see anything like workshop, someone raised eyebrows. And they were later told that the alleged Criminal has fled the town.
Another victim of the fake agriculture workshop, Bendu Kollor’s statement corroborated with what Madam Cole said.
Also speaking on the scheme, Mamai Trowo explained in anger that her voter registration ID cards was taken away by the same individual on the same agriculture workshop issue, and that they would receive US$30 daily and also be given farming tools. She said this was what encouraged her.
And currently, her voter registration ID card along with many others women voter registration ID cards left the alleged suspect and escaped with them along with their L$300.
But the women have vowed to take legal issue with suspect Isaac Jallah, who is yet to be located.