Naymote Calls for Revocation of Liberia Diplomatic Passports Amid Kante’s Passport Saga

Monrovia – Naymote Partners for Democratic Development has called on President Weah to go the extra mile and revoke all diplomatic passport currently issued to Liberian officials, diplomats and their spouses to be followed by a rigorous issuance process to stop the passport from landing in the wrong hands.

In respond to the report that U.S. investigators found with Sheikh Bassirou Kante, a diplomatic passport as part of his ongoing investigation for alleged wire fraud, President Weah with immediate effect ordered the suspension of the issuance of diplomatic passports. The President also ordered the Minister Foreign Affairs, Dee Maxwell Kemayah to investigate circumstances leading to the issuance of Liberia’s diplomatic passport to Sheik Bassirou Kante.

Minister Kemayah has been instructed by the President to submit a full report detailing a review of how Liberian diplomatic passports are issued. The Minister is to report to the President in one week as of May 10, 2022.

However, Naymote, in a statement issued through its Executive Director, Eddie Jarwolo wants “President Weah to muster the political will to with immediate effect revoke all Official and Diplomatic passports previously issued, and ensure a rigorous issuance process for the protection of Liberia’s international image and global security as its alarming the constant news of diplomatic passports in the hands of criminals.”

The Diplomatic Passport purportedly issued to Kante listed him as a Chief of Staff, in the office Representative Vamuyah Corneh District #14, Montserrado County on August 12, 2020.

Though the office of the lawmaker has since denied having Kante in his employ, Naymote, in the statement, called on the Leadership of the House of Representatives to immediately proceed with an investigation of their colleague on how this alleged Chief of Staff obtained this diplomatic passport.

“The committees on Foreign Affairs, and Judiciary in the Liberian Legislature should use their oversight function to ensure the issuance of diplomatic passports to criminals are put to an end and those involved should be prosecuted under the law of Liberia,” the CSO Group urged.

The organization also called on all diplomatic missions in Liberia and globally, including Interpol to thoroughly investigate individuals holding Liberia’s diplomatic passports before giving them any opportunity that they so desire including obtaining travel visas.

It added: “Naymote, through its Executive Director, Eddie Jarwolo welcomes the pro-active involvement of the United States Government to go after criminals, money launderers, drug traffickers, corrupt officials, and dangerous persons in the country to bring them to justice.”

It then called on the Liberian government to cooperate with the United States Government to prosecute those identified as criminals and corrupt officials within the current government which will ensure the political will to fight corruption and foster peace and security in the region.

The CSO reminded President George M. Weah of his commitments during the U.S. Democracy Summit in December 2021 including the establishment of a dedicated criminal court for the prosecution and convictions of public officials, individuals, or institutions engaged in corrupt practices and financial offenses among other commitments.