The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission says it has secured an indictment for the arrest and criminal prosecution of several former officials of the Liberia National Red Cross.
The LACC in a statement signed by Mr. Moses Varfee Kowo, Executive Director, said the Red Cross Former President Emmanuel Kparh, former Secretary General Fayiah Tamba, Procurement Supervisor Koboi Wolokollie and Director of Finance Sekou Kamara will be prosecuted for the mismanagement of monies closed One million (US1, 000,000.00) United States Dollars of Funds given to the organization by the Swiss Red Cross and the Liberian Government during the battle against Ebola in 2014.
The LACC said the four former Officials of the Red Cross criminally diverted the funds to personal used through the breaking of procurement rules, laid down financial management regulations and through dangerous collusion among themselves.
In a specific case, the LACC said the former president took custody of the over 20 thousand United States Dollars for support to two LNRC chapters-Sinoe and Grand Gedeh Counties but investigations showed that the two chapters did see the funds. Mr Kparh also took in his possession another US Dollars 20 thousand and 2 million Liberian Dollars to lobby with the Legislature for increased subsidy for LNRC but no evidence was shown to justify that the amount was paid to the Legislature.
The Liberia Anti-corruption commission said it is surprised that Mr. Kparh carried out financial gangsterism by collecting close to Seventy thousand (uS70,000.00) United States dollars for board member compensation and used it for private gains without delivering it to the boards’ members.
The LACC says it wants Mr. Emmanuel Kparh and three other former officials of the Liberia National Red Cross to turn themselves in immediately or could face arrest and be handcuffed in the public square.
The Country’s Anti-graft office wants to use this situation to warn all public officials currently handling funds related to the fight against COVID-19 to be mindful as there will be accountability in the future for the management of these funding.
The LACC says it will accept no excuse for the mismanagement, illegal disbursement and misappropriation of public money during an emergency period.
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