Justice Minister Dean Accuses SG Cephus of Forging Signature As US Embassy Distances Itself from ‘Fake’ Letter  

MONROVIA – Liberia’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean has accused the suspended Solicitor General Sayma Seyrenues Cephus of doctoring the letter circulating on the internet addressed to U.S. Ambassador Michael McCarthy.

The letter purportedly signed by Justice Minister Dean complained suspended SG Cephus of usurping the functions of Minister Dean.

It described Cllr. Cephus’ behavior as one which has the propensity to “impede the peace process of our country and the justice system. It is dangerous to have such a bad apple in public service.”

But Cllr. Dean, distancing himself from the letter, said it was doctored to make it appear that it was based on his complaint that Cllr. Cephus was sanctioned.

He described the letter as “Complete forgery and the making of Cephus”, adding, “So, if he had this letter, dated January 15, 2022, what was he waiting to bring it to the fore?”

Asked whether the signature was also forged, Cllr. Dean said, “I don’t know. Probably, the signature was traced or lifted. This is not my diction”.

He clarified that the email address: [email protected] contained in the letter does not belong to him; his rightful emails are [email protected] and [email protected].

Cllr. Cephus was among three key officials of the Weah-led government that were sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department on August 15.

According to the Treasury Department, the Solicitor General is developed close relationships with suspects of criminal investigations and has received bribes from individuals in exchange for having their cases dropped.

He was accused for working 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. He was accused of tampering with and purposefully withholding evidence in cases involving members of opposition political parties to ensure conviction.

“Cephus 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.”

Suspended SG Cephus Complains To Prexy Weah

Meanwhile, the suspended Solicitor General has complained Attorney General Dean to President George Weah for ‘writing’ such a letter to the U.S. Ambassador.

In a communication to President Weah, Cephus called on the President to prevail on the U.S. Government to grant him the opportunity to be accorded due process and have his day in court to face Minister Dean and the rest of his accusers and to be confronted with the evidence that they have procured against me.”

U.S Embassy Distances Itself from the Letter

Hours after Justice Minister Dean debunked Cephus Claims, the US Embassy has distanced itself from the communication.

In a snap response, the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy Sean Boda said the Embassy has no record of such a communication. “We have no record at the embassy of ever having received such a letter,” Boda debunked.