PHOTO: Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, head of the International Law Group
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Monrovia- The executive director of the International Law group, Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi has restated his call on the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) to probe two its members who have been sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department for their alleged involvement in corruption.
In a communication written to the LNBA president Cllr. Sylvester Rennie said: “I write most respectfully to entreat the Executive committee of the Liberian National Bar Association to lunch an investigation, consistent with Rule 29, upholding the honor of the profession of the code for moral and professional ethics against Counselors-At-Law Harry Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman and Saymah Syrenius Cephus both of whom are active members of the Bar that were sanctioned by the United States department of the Treasury’s office of Foreign Assets control (OFAC) as perpetrators of bribery and corruption.”
On December 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) targeted corrupt actors and their networks across several countries in Africa and Asia, including Cllr. Sherman.
The US Treasury Department accused Sherman of habitually bribing Judges and others in Liberian courts: “Sherman offered bribes to multiple judges associated with his trial and had an undisclosed conflict of interest with the judge who ultimately returned a not guilty verdict in July 2019. Sherman has routinely paid judges to decide cases in his favor, and he has allegedly facilitated payments to Liberian politicians to support impeachment of a judge who has ruled against him. Sherman’s acts of bribery demonstrate a larger pattern of behavior to exercise influence over the judiciary and the Ministry of Justice,” the US report said.
When the US report was released, Senator Sherman denied the allegations and said that his Lawyers were working on the case demanding that his accusers provide the necessary evidence against him in line with the due process of law.
(L-R) Cllr. Varney Sherman and Cllr. Syrenius Cephus
Just weeks ago (August 15, 2022), Solicitor General Cephus was accused of bribery and facilitating money laundering in a US Treasury Department report. Shortly thereafter, he was suspended from his post by President George Weah. Last week he tenured his resignation. The former SG has since categorically denied being involved in corruption as level against him by the US, saying that he needs to have his day in court so that he can be vindicated.
Recently, a highly placed source at the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has informed www.newspublictrust.com that both Solicitor General and Chief Prosecutor of Liberia, Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephus and Senator Varney Gboto Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County are expected to face the wrath of the LNBA, in connection with sanctions imposed on them by the United States Treasury Department for alleged corruption.
In his communication to the LNBA, Cllr. Massaquoi added that “these actions were taken pursuant to Executive order 13818 which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky human rights accountability act and targets perpetrators of corruption and serious human rights abuse. Thus these allegations are not only damning but violate several provisions of our code for the moral and professional ethics and must not be left UN investigated by the Bar as an integrity institution.”
Senator Sherman is one of Liberia’s senior Lawmakers and one of the veteran members of the Bar, who has spent decades in Academia as Professor of Law at the state owned University of Liberia.
“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,” the US government said in its August 15, 2022 statement announcing the imposition of the sanction.
A reliable source recently told this news outlet that there were internal meetings within the leadership of the LNBA and thereafter, the outcome of the meetings will be brought to the executive committee of the Bar for onward actions against the two members of the LNBA. But so far, the Bar has made no public statement on the outcome of the reported meetings.
It has been indicated that the two top members of the LNBA “have rubbed their institution’s integrity into the mud and public disrepute”.
Our source said that as such, the Bar can’t no longer sit and allow them go with impunity.
A highly place official at the LNBA recently asserted that Counsellors Varney Sherman and Syrenius Cephus must be “duly investigated for both Criminal and ethical misconduct for action for which they were been sanctioned by the US government.”
The official disclosed that money laundering in which Cllr. Cephus was implicated by the US treasury department sanction report is a serious crime in the sub-region which every country tried to tackle.
Meanwhile, Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi has recounted the numerous programs under taken by the United States government within the LNBA and if the LNBA sits without taken against those members who have been sanctioned, the US government may not release support to the LNBA and also Liberia at large.
“I am disappointed in both the LNBA and the Judiciary for not taking against Cllr. Sherman and and Cllr. Cephus on their sanction issue,” Cllr. Massaquoi added.
The CEO of the International Law Group said that the two Bar members in question are not investigated, the LNBA’s support from USAID might be withheld.