Liberia: “Things That Shouldn’t Be in the Public Are Leaked”

President Pro Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Albert T. Chea, yesterday frowned at integrity institutions, mainly the National Elections Commission (NEC), for failing to ensure that what is not meant for public consumption does not find its way into the media.

Senator Chea was specifically referring to the National Elections Commission (NEC), an integrity institution that is now at the center of a fraud investigation involving the lease of 20 pieces of facial recognition and temperature checking equipment for the sum of US$182,320. The contract was given to Tuma Enterprises, a company belonging to the brothers of NEC Executive Commissioner, Davidetta Browne Lansanah.

The LACC’s investigation took its cue from a Daily Observer report, published on November 15, which unearthed documented evidence of the NEC’s leadership manipulating public procurement provisions to commit over-spending, conflict of interest, and possible fraud to the tune of US$182,320.

Senator Chea expressed his disappointment and frustration at the leaks from the NEC during his remarks at the Third Annual Forum of the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), held at the Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.

“We are following the situation with the NEC. It is disappointing and we are taking it very seriously. Things that shouldn’t be in the public are leaked to newspapers. They are now in the news. There is a lack of coordination between the institution and people who even work at those institutions,” he said.

Listening to Senator Chea speak from his own context as he delivered his remarks, concerns immediately arose from some segments of the audience, condemning the Senator for his remarks. 

“The PPCC and the LACC need to have coordination,” he continued. “And  with other institutions too, like the NEC, coordination is necessary.” 

“I am disappointed in the Senator for saying that secrets, even as bad as they may be to the country, should not come out to the public. He is encouraging massive corruption and discouraging fairness and truth-telling,” a lady who sought anonymity said.

Senator Chea, who has been accused over time of having a vested interest in NEC, for whatever reason, only best known to him, has raised yet another debate which seems to be more centered on making a choice between helping the government curb corruption or allowing corruption to become a vampire as it was under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

LACC Provides Updates

With the Daily Observer closely following the ongoing investigations of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission and some other top officials at the Commission (NEC) by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. Edward Kla Martin said the LACC is doing its job and assured the public that the matter will not be ‘business as usual.’

“Once the evidence satisfactorily proves that they have defrauded the government of said huge amount, they will be indicted and prosecuted in line with the Laws. If they are to go to jail, they will,” Cllr. Martin told the Daily Observer via phone.

He said all necessary rights and jurisdictions provided by law to the LACC will be fully applied.

Cllr. Martin added that under the law, his office has the right to use the information published by newspapers or aired by radio stations and even those from whistleblowers to proceed with an investigation of anyone or institution.

“Under Article 2 of the LACC, the LACC has the right to invite anyone, once there is a report that corruption has been detected in that institution or the individual. We can invite anyone for questioning. That is the law and that law was not passed by me but by the Legislature; I mean both the House of Representatives and the House of Senate in 2008,” he explained.

The LACC Executive Chairperson added: “We are not everywhere. The media is the watchdog of society and once their reports are factual and can be used for any investigation, we will use them. The Act creating the LACC guarantees us this right and we are using it for the good of the country.”