LACC's Investigation into MCSS Case Conflicted; K-News Establishes; as Former Sup. Cries Foul Play

Monrovia, Liberia: An independent investigation launched by K-News has uncovered a series of conflicting accounts involving the Liberia Anti-Corruption (LACC) Commission in the investigated and completed Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) financial misconduct case.

With one year, two months, now, since the case was investigated and completed, the LACC has yet to clearly state whether it indicted or cleared some individuals linked to the investigation.

The MCSS' case involved former Superintendent, James Momo; Insurance Brooker, Kabineh Keita; and Director for Curriculum Development and Instruction, Sonita Dagan; who were accused of receiving 8.2 million Liberian Dollars and US$1.6 million through kickbacks in awarding contracts at the institution.

Public documents obtained by K-News indicate that the Liberia Anti-Corruption secured grand jury indictments against two of the three officials, namely: Kabineh Keita and Sonita Dagan with charges ranging from money laundering, bribery, and criminal conspiracy.

Investigators' report alleges that the pair collaborated to accumulate approximately 8.2 million at the MCSS through a Sky Insurance Company deal, which further reports say was allegedly meant to guarantee the Insurance's exclusive brokerage relationship with the school system.

The LACC confirmed the indictment in its 2026 Prosecution First Quarterly Report, saying both Kabineh Keita and Sonita Dagan are now under the jurisdiction of Criminal Court "C" pending trial.

However, the sticky concern remains the status of the case with former MCSS Superintendent James Momo.

K-News independent investigation unveiled that the LACC appears double-tongued in confirming whether former Superintendent Momo was found liable for any financial malpractice despite an Executive Mansion release attributing Momo's dismissal to an LACC's report holding him liable.

Momo was suspended on June 24, 2025 by President Joseph Boakai and later dismissed on November 14, 2025. The Executive Mansion says he was reportedly involved in a US$357,500 financial scheme for procurement of chairs in a calculated amount that targeted US$1.6 million as per a Financial Intelligence Agency's report which was investigated and concluded by the LACC.

Meanwhile, related LACC documents on individuals indicated covering the case's period 2024-2025, including its 3rd Quarter Report filed to the office of the President, do not point to the former Superintendent James Momo of being found culpable for any corruption allegations in the MCSS case, although others were named.

Controversially, the LACC a few months ago issued a list of individuals cleared from investigations covering 2024-2025, which also included the MCSS case without James Momo being mentioned.

The conflicting accounts raise eyebrows about the grounds on which James Momo was suspended and later dismissed from a tenure position.

When questioned by K-News on development, the LACC could not spell out James Momo's status of the completed case.

In an investigative interview, LACC Excutive Assistant, Vivian Akoto, who was preferred to speak to the matter, was heared contradicting herself and the LACC, saying former Superintendent Momo was cleared, in one statement, and another, guessing that Momo was not cleared.

She stated: "If he doesn't have his receipt, he is not cleared". She, on the other hand, said: "So he was not indicated, when he was not indicate it means we do not get anything on him".

Akoto then referenced K-News to the MCSS' category of the completed investigation. The report review by K-News named two of the three investigated MCSS officials culpable for criminal offenses (Kabineh Keita and Sonita Dagan), excluding James Momo.

The pattern of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission handling of the matter has sparked huge concern about conflict of interest in the investigation, as former Superintendent Momo alarmed foul play in the case.

James Momo told K-News investigation that he has been verbally informed by the LACC that he is cleared, but yet to receive a clearance—an administrative standard practice by the LACC.

The Anti-Corruption Commission is tight-lipped about this claim and has not denied or confirmed it either. When phoned, the LACC Commission Director refused to answer questions to the effect.

The Commission, on the other hand, has issued clearances to other individuals who were investigated in related corruption cases and exonerated.

Former Superintendent Momo said he strongly believes that the case is somewhat tempered with by LACC and external forces. He questioned why the LACC would delay or prevent his clearance when there was no official indictment against him.

"I was called on several occasions to go and received my clearance. But whenever I get there, the LACC officials tell me that there was a mistake made on my clearance and will be corrected to be given to me".

"This has happened and it has been more than a year now that I have not been given the clearance and others who are cleared and called to receive clearance have gotten theirs", Momo alarmed.

He said his clearance was to be issued in September in 2025 after the LACC's 3rd Quarter Report (2025) did not indict him. Momo claimed that it was intentionally delayed to present a picture of him being held for wrong, which he said promoted his dismissal a month later by President Joseph Boakai.

He alleged that it was a maneuvering meant to allow a new leadership transition at the MCSS with his dismissal from the tenured position occurring in suspense, which according to him has no culpable cause.

Documents and sources revealed that there is no official report from the LACC spelling out Jame Momo to the Executive Mansion as an indicted person to constitute a dismissal.

However, the Executive Mansion said so in Momo's dismissal, which has fueled fresh concerns over the long-running concluded cases about which institution is actually telling the truth.

The Excutive Mansion quoted the LACC of holding Momo liable for failure to comply with Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) regulations, Extortion, Abuse of office, Criminal Conspiracy, Facilitation of improper activities in contract awarding—in a chair procurement process, even though available LACC documents have not proven to this effect.

The case, in early 2025, stemmed from concern over allegations that Jame Momo carried out a procurement of 6,500 desks and chairs valued at US$357,500 outside of the PPCC.

The allegations furthered that US$451,150.60 contract for laboratory supplies and services was also signed without established PPCC procedures in a move to receive kickbacks.

Former Superintendent James Momo has since denied these allegations. James Momo said the procurement of about 21,000 Chairs and Desks was only a proposal from his administration to the office of the President, saying that there was no available cash involved for the project.

According to him, the idea was later embraced by President Joseph Boakai and considered as a presidential project.

Momo further explained to investigation that the first batch of the chairs in the quantity of 6,500 was done as a pre-financed initiative by a close friend to the president from the United States, which he said was initially discussed and agreed upon with the office of the president.

He added that the MCSS had no allocation in the 2025 budget for the procurement of chairs, something he said made the proposal a presidential project rather than an initiative to operate under the PPCC system.

"There was no fund allocated for chairs for the MCSS, the proposal could not be a PPCC initiative when we have money for it. There was no cash involved from our end. It was considered as a presidential project. The allegations of corruption and kickbacks are false", he said.

Meanwhile, Former Superintendent James Momo is challenging the LACC to forward him for prosecution if he was truly indicated in the case. The LACC has forwarded indicted individuals for prosecution, yet to apply this to Momo.

However, amid the controversy, Former Superintendent James Momo is demanding his reinstatement to the position once he was not indicated. He said served one year in the position and has three years outstanding in his tenure role.

The Liberian Constitution supports dismissal of tenure position holders only on the ground of being held culpable of offenses including corruption and breach of ethics. Momo argued that his dismissal was not on a clear ground and for any cause.

He is also pressing the LACC to issue him an official clearance, after the completed MCSS investigation did not point to him of wrong doing.

The investigation in the MCSS case has brought the integrity of the LACC on the line, as sources say the LACC is conflicted in the investigation, specifically in James Momo's case.

Sources further that the alleged seeks to protect the leadership new transition at MCSS, as issuing James Momo an official clearance will give rise to his reinstatement and cost the new transition.