PHOTO: John Pangbe, consortium spokesman
By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com
The Consortium of Civil Society Organizations has welcomed the US States Department of Treasury report on the sanctioned officials of the Liberian government.
On February 15, 2022, the US Government imposed d sanctions for public corruption on the Minister of States for Presidential Affairs, Nathaniel McGill; the National Port Authority Managing Director, Bill Twehway; and the Solicitor General Bill Twehway.
Following the imposition of the sanctions on the three officials, President George Weah announced the suspension of the three officials named in the US Treasury Department report.
These officials are designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world. In its latest sanctions report the US Treasury Department said:
“Through their corruption these officials have undermined democracy in Liberia for their own personal benefit,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “Treasury’s designations today demonstrate that the United States remains committed to holding corrupt actors accountable and to the continued support of the Liberian people.”
Corruption has long undermined Liberia’s democracy and its economy, robbing the Liberian people of funds for public services, empowering illicit actors, degrading the business environment, and damaging the rule of law and effective governance in the country. Corruption also contributes to diminished confidence in government and public perception of impunity for those with power. These designations reaffirm the commitment of the United States to hold corrupt actors accountable. The United States is a proud and dedicated partner and friend of Liberia and stands with the people of Liberia in support of democracy and the rule of law and will continue to promote accountability for corrupt actors, regardless of their position or political affiliation. The United States is also committed to working with the people and Government of Liberia to elevate countering corruption as a priority, including by bolstering public sector anti-corruption capacity, and reviewing and re-evaluating criteria for bilateral and multilateral assistance, including around transparency and accountability. Holding corrupt actors accountable and bolstering anti-corruption efforts are both consistent with, and reflects our commitment to implementing, the United States Strategy on Countering Corruption.
McGill is being designated for being a foreign person who is a current government official who is responsible for or complicit in, or who has directly or indirectly engaged in, corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets, the expropriation of private assets for personal gain, corruption related to government contracts or the extraction of natural resources, or bribery.
Sayma Syrenius Cephus (Cephus) is the current Solicitor General and Chief Prosecutor of Liberia. Cephus has developed close relationships with suspects of criminal investigations and has received bribes from individuals in exchange for having their cases dropped. Cephus has worked behind the scenes to establish arrangements with subjects of money laundering investigations to cease investigations in order to personally benefit financially. He shields money launderers and helps clear them through the court system and has intimidated other prosecutors in an attempt to quash investigations. Cephus has also utilized his position to hinder investigations and block the prosecution of corruption cases involving members of the government. Cephus has been accused of tampering with and purposefully withholding evidence in cases involving members of opposition political parties to ensure conviction.
CSO Consortium welcomes report but…
But the civil society consortium noted that while it appreciates the US government but wants more clarity in its report issued against three officials of the Liberian government.
“We want to pursue this case more further against these three officials of the government and at such a clarity would be best of importance for us to go by,” said the consortium’s statement delivered recently by its spokesperson John Pangbe.
The civil society also stated that the clarity as craved by the consortium should be backed by evidence that will aid the Liberian government in the investigation as announced by President Weah.
Meanwhile, the Consortium of Civil Society Organization is also asking the US government to extradite Charles MacArthur D. Gull, the former Manager of the Port of Buchanan who was at the center stage of the corruption saga at the Port of Buchanan to face investigation as announced by the Liberian president.