President Weah Takes Wrong Turn on Corrupt US-Sanctioned Musketeers
MONROVIA – As President Weah acted swiftly in less than 24 hours upon the release of the sanctioned high ranking officials of government, one would have expected some key pronouncements regarding the three officers.
What came out on the morning of August 16th regarding the sanctioned officials could be considered in all directions a wrong turn, and this could have greater consequences for the Weah-led CDC-government.
The action taken by the President has been viewed by many including legal and political pundits as a weak decision and shows no commitment of the President’s seriousness to fight corruption at all.
“The President should have said that he has dismissed the three disgraced officials slapped with sanction, and that they have been handed over to the Ministry of Justice for investigation and subsequent prosecution. And that the government of Liberia is officially requesting a collaborative investigation of these officials by both government agencies responsible to seek out the truth and punish individuals who do anything to damage the image of the country.”
An anonymous Liberian lawyer
In the statement put out in suspending the sanctioned officials, President Weah used the word “alleged” which signifies lack of facts and thus cannot be acted upon.
If indeed this was the situation, suspension should not even have been induced. Instead, the President should have simply said, they saw the listing and would launch an investigation to ascertain the facts, and if the officials are found guilty, actions will be taken.
But just suspending these officials under the pretext of an “alleged” act as coined by the Executive Mansion, it means the government of Liberia through the President, have decided to act.
Legal minds have also put in their opinions on the matter and from all indications points to the fact that the President has taken a wrong turn.
A renowned lawyer speaking to K-news in the aftermath of the President’s decision, made some strong positions on what the President should have made clear in the Press statement if he made a decision to act, knowing that such allegation against close allies will only stain him as president, damage the image of the government and set the government on collision path with the United States of America.
The legal luminary bluntly said the President, in the statement, should have said: “That he has dismissed the three disgraced officials slapped with sanction, and that they have been handed over to the Ministry of Justice for investigation and subsequent prosecution. And that the government of Liberia is officially requesting a collaborative investigation of these officials by both government agencies responsible to seek out the truth and punish individuals who do anything to damage the image of the country.”
He further stated that the suspension is totally not acceptable in no case or situation at all.
Further providing clarity, the legal pundit added that the kind of decision taken by the President of Liberia determines the level of indictment he attaches to himself, most importantly, understanding the closeness of the officials who have been sanctioned, and considering Mr. McGill, the closest person to the President.
McGill is widely viewed as the Prime Minister of Liberia owing to how influential and close he is to the President. If the message is not received by the International community properly, it will paint a negative picture that the President is shielding or providing protection for these individuals; something that does not send any good signal of his preparedness to battle corruption in the country.
