The Task Force has been mandated by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to probe the Global Witness alleged bribery report and take appropriate actions in keeping with law.

The investigation is currently ongoing at the Ministry of Justice by a tripartite panel that comprises the Ministry of Justice, Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), with Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, Minister of State without Portfolio as Chairman.

House Speaker Alex Tyler, Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman, Montserrado County District #4 Representative Henry B. Fahnbulleh and Bomi County Senator Morris Saytumah are among a host of current and former government officials linked to the scandal by Global Witness in its report released recently.

According to a release from the Task Force, Sherman wrote informing it that he would “not appear,” while Sayutumah wrote seeking for postponement of his appearance to another date to allow him to partake in the confirmation hearing of Hariet Badio, Deputy Minister of Justice-designate.

The release stated that Tyler and Fahnbulleh did not state reason for not appearing.

The release named those who appeared as former Senate President Pro-Tempore Cletus Wortorson, Fombah Sirleaf, Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Willie Belleh, Jr., former Chairman, Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC).

Others are Sumo Kupee, Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC); Ernest C.B Jones, former Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy and former National Investment Commission (NIC) Chairman, Dr. Richard Tolbert.
LINA PR/JGT/TSS/PTK