Liberia: Pastor Allegedly Dupes Ex-wife of US$23K

Wander Bernice Porter, a U.S. citizen, has revealed how her husband connived with an accomplice to dupe her of over US$23,000 — funds that were intended to help her adopt a pair of twin girls from Liberia.

Porter, who also runs Helping Hand Ministry (HHM), a non-governmental organization that operates both here and in the U.S., told journalists in an interview on Thursday, January 4, that she was deceived by her former Liberian husband, Estment Babyboy Harris, a pastor, and his associate, Knowles W. Shain, who is a Clerk at Criminal Court “C”. Porter and Harris have since divorced due to the alleged dubious act, as well as issues of domestic violence.

According to Porter, she was convinced by Harris to initiate legal proceedings to adopt twin children in Liberia. Her decision to do so was based on her heartfelt desire to honor the memory of her late son, who tragically lost his battle with cancer. Little did she know that she was being manipulated and deceived.

Sharing her disheartening experience, Porter claimed that she spent over twenty-three thousand dollars ($23,000) in the process. She allegedly sent the money to Harris, who was supposed to pass it on to his associate at Criminal Court “C” and the parents of the twin children for the legal process.

“Believing in my then husband [who is] a pastor, he recommended one Shain to carry out the legal proceedings to adopt the twins in Liberia as part of my quest to have kids, especially girls, in loving memory of my son who died due to cancer,” she said. “I sent them thousands of US dollars to carry out the process.

However, she later discovered that Harris and Shain conspired with individuals within the judicial system to prepare falsified and illegal documents. Porter, who is also a prophetess, admitted that her lack of knowledge about the legal process in Liberia made her vulnerable to exploitation by her then-husband.

“It will shock you to know that after spending all these monies to adopt the kids, I realized that Harris had conspired with Shain and others, who prepared falsified and illegal documents. They put me under the impression that everything was ok,” she noted. 

Porter revealed that Harris mistreated the twin children she intended to adopt, despite the financial support she provided. In addition, she experienced physical and emotional abuse from him, culminating in a terrifying knife attack.

In seeking justice for the corrupt treatment she endured, Porter said she faced challenges with the investigation into her case.

She believes it was tampered with, and law enforcement officers showed little interest in listening to her side of the story. She alleged that the justice system was biased against her and even asked for bribes, though she failed to make specific references.

“In my strive to seek justice on accounts of these inhumane treatment and unscrupulous actions from my then husband and his core exploiters, I was severely hit and oppressed by the high level of injustice, condemnation, and partial investigation from the police, especially the children and social protection department where I had gone to file my case,” Porter disclosed.

While continuing her fight for justice, Porter remains unwavering in her belief that truth will prevail. She calls for the arrest and prosecution of Harris, his associate, and everyone else involved in her ordeal. Her quest for justice extends beyond her personal experience and seeks justice for all individuals subjected to similar mistreatment.

Porter said that she met Harris while carrying out her gospel mission in Nigeria. Due to her commitments, they could not live together, so Harris remained in Liberia while Porter visited from time to time. She trusted him enough to rent a house at her own expense, hoping to create a home for their family.

However, Porter said she realized there was a significant level of dishonesty that hindered their marriage. Despite the difficulties, Porter said, she accepted Harris’s proposal, and they got married. Unfortunately, she added, she unknowingly entered a lifelong ordeal of waste and social catastrophe that led to the worst moments of her life. 

Porter wants to be a voice against corruption, sexual domestic violence, and injustices in Liberia. She believes her story should serve as a case study to raise awareness and take the necessary measures to eliminate harmful practices that hinder societal prosperity. 

In response, Harris denied the allegation levied against him. He described his ex-wife as a liar and that she wanted to kidnap the children and take them out of Liberia without documents. 

“After we got the children. The parents of the children requested US$1,500, but she made an initial payment of $500. After that, Porter brought the kids home and wanted me to secretly take the children out of Liberia without going through the dues process. To this, I said, no. I have a family here. I am a Liberian and cannot do such a thing.”

As a result of that, Harris said, Porter went back to Nigeria to bring in two Nigerian guys to carry out the operation by forcefully taking the children out of Liberia.

About the monies he allegedly duped from her, he said, “And if she says that I received the amount she is talking about, let her show the bank receipts. She is now going around lying to people because she knows that I have a church, so this is why she wants to destroy it but God will punish her for that.”