By Frank Sainworla, Jr. fsainworla@yahoo.com
The United States Embassy in Monrovia has confirmed that it assisted the Liberian government in the just ended investigation into the mysterious deaths of three top Liberian government Auditors and a female official of the Liberia Revenue Agency (LRA).
This confirmation was made by the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Office to www.newspublictrust.com on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 in a written response to an inquiry made by this news outlet last Wednesday, in the wake of the release of the Liberian Justice Ministry’s findings that investigation into circumstances surrounding the deaths of four persons showed there was no foul play and that the deaths were all “unnatural or accidental”.
After the four individuals died under mysterious circumstance within the period of eight days in October this year, President George made a formal request to the US Embassy to assist his government in the probe into circumstances surrounding their deaths. But since then the US Embassy had made no formal public statement, prompting News Public Trust email to the Americans as to whether its forensic/security experts were actually involved in the investigation surrounding the mysterious deaths of the four.
In reply, the US Embassy’s Public Affairs Officer Michael Ardaiolo said in an email reply on Tuesday:
“We share Liberian grief and concern over the recent deaths and, where appropriate, have offered advice and assistance to the Liberian-led investigations.”
During the early morning of October 2, 2020, two senior employees of the LRA were discovered dead under mysterious circumstances and their lifeless bodies were seen in a vehicle belonging to Mr. Albert Peters, while Mrs. Lama’s gray Jeep was parked in front of Mr. Peter’s on Snapper Hill, up Broad Street.
After the discovery of the lifeless bodies of the LRA employees in Mr. Peters vehicle, another auditor from the large tax division at the LRA Mr. George Fahnboto was allegedly cut in his head by some unknown individuals on a motor bike but it was widely reported that he died in a tragic motor accident along the 72th boulevard road around in Monrovia’s Paynesville suburb on October 4, 2020.
In the case of Albert Peters and Gifty Lamah, the autopsy report read by Justice Minister Cllr. Musa Dean attributed their deaths to “carbon monoxide poisoning exacerbated by gasoline hydrocarbon, and fumes from a defective car exhaust system.
“In our professional and expert opinion based on available evidence, the manner of death is unnatural (accidental),” Minister Dean quoted Experts’ Autopsy Report.
Besides carbon monoxide poisoning, the pathology report said a certain drug (prescription drug) was detected in her liver and gastric content, in the case of Mrs. Lama.
For the late IAA Director, Mr. Nyensuah, the report said he bore wounds in the head, chest and abdomen and that he died of massive hemorrhage, multiple wounds and sub tissue injuries.
“In our expert and professional opinion, the manner of death is unnatural”. Other classification of this unnatural death is either accidental, suicidal or homicidal that will require further police detective investigation,” the autopsy findings said.
The mysterious deaths prompted serious public suspicion, with many calling for independent probe, as many questioned the capacity, professionalism and/or neutrality of the police and other state security apparatus, especially after the crime scene of the first incident on Broad Street was contaminated.
Further suspicion was even raised when the widower of Gifty Lama, Mr. Sylvester Lama described the investigation report and the findings from the autopsies as “trash”.
Pleased with Liberian security professionalism
But the US Embassy apparently sees things differently and is pleased with the level of professionalism shown by the Liberian state security apparatus for well over a decade now and does not regret the nearly one hundred and forty million US dollars it has invested into building the capacity of law enforcement officers in this country.
“The U.S. Embassy, through its Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, has committed more than $139 million over the past 15 years to help build the capacity of Liberian law enforcement and justice institutions and is proud of the progress that has been achieved. In addition, our Regional Security Office works closely with Liberian law enforcement counterparts on cases of mutual interest,” said the American Embassy’s response to www.newspublictrust.com inquiry.
The US Embassy has also commended the Liberian government for being “serious in its approach to the investigations into the mysterious deaths of the four individuals, which helped to ensure that the causes of death were determined in an accurate, transparent fashion.”
“We appreciate the seriousness with which Government of Liberia authorities has approached these investigations. The decision of the Government of Liberia, and pathologists Dr. Benedict B. Kolee and Dr. Zoeborn B. Kparteh, to seek assistance from institutional colleagues in Ghana, indicate the degree to which the Government was willing to take extra measures to insure that the causes of death were determined in an accurate, transparent fashion,” said the US Embassy’s statement to this news outlet.
US Condolence to relatives and loved ones
Meanwhile, the American Embassy has expressed condolence to the relatives and loved ones of the four officials of two Liberian government integrity institutions who died mysteriously recently.
“The U.S. Embassy extends its sincere sympathies to the loved ones of the deceased.”
Liberia and the US are considered “traditional friends” and at times Liberia is referred to as “Uncle Sam’s step child”; given the fact that the free black slaves who came to this land in the 1800s and formed Liberia as the first black African Republic in 1847 came from the United States. And Liberians from different persuasions constantly turn to the Americans for intervention—whether it is the setting up of a war crimes court, or missing 16 billion saga or other domestic qualms with the government of the day in Monrovia.