IPNews-Monrovia: Head broke loose Wednesday during Plenary deliberation into the complained filed by Lofa County Senator, George T. Tengbeh against Embattled Montserrado County Senator, Abraham Darius Dillion.

Last week, the Senate leadership took charge of a mandate from plenary of the senate to investigate Senator Dillon based on Senator Tengbeh’s complaint.
Senator Tengbeh in his communication claimed that Senator Dillon and Cohorts have in recent months embarked on a “smear campaign” aimed at denigrating the Liberian Senate both wholly and individually.

The Lofa County Senator alleged that his peer has willfully and intentionally distorted the image of the Senate, causing massive injury to the characters of Senators and the institution.

Senator Tengbeh said: “On Wednesday, May 20, 2020, Senator Dillon accused all Senators who affixed their signatures to the Senate resolution containing the COVID-19 recast budget and certain fiscal measures of receiving bribes. I demand the senator to provide proof of the commission of this highly felonious crime by twenty-three senators who signed the document.”

The Lofa County Senator’s letter of complaint was referenced on an interview where he (Tengbeh) alleged that Senator Dillon had several weeks ago and “deceptively” told the Public that he received an amount of US$ 6,500.00 as operational funds when the amount was US$8,000.

Based on the mandate of Plenary, the Leadership on Wednesday’s session report to the Senate that during its leadership meeting it resolved to setup an ad-hoc Committee comprising, Grand Cape Mount Senator, Cllr. Varney Sherman as Chairman, Senator Henrique Tokpah of Bong County and Senator Matthew Jay of River Gee County as members.

Following the reading of the Report from the Senate Leadership, a motion proffered by Grand Bassa County Senator, Nyonblee K. Lawrence called for the matter to be opened for discussion.
Discussion by Senators on the pending investigation.

During the deliberation, several senators including, Sen. Conmany Wesseh (UP-River-Gee County), Sando Johnson (CDC-Bomi County), Armah Jallah (CDC-Gbapolu County), Stephine Zargo (LP-Lofa County), Daniel F. Naatehn, (IND-Gbapolu County), Nyounblee Karnga Lawrence (LP-Grand Bassa County), Oscar Cooper (IND-Margibi County) questioned the legality of the investigation, adding that the Senate leadership was in contravention of the bye laws of the Liberian Senate, especially Senate’s Standing Rule 23.

“This is a useless ventures that the Senate is engaged into, as far as we are concerned, there is no complained before the Liberian Senate against Senator Dillion”- Senator Sando Johnson of Bomi County.

The Senators stated clearly and emphatically that as far as they are concerned and to their certain knowledge of Rule 23 of the Senate standing rules, there is no complaint against Senator Abraham Darius Dillon before the Senate least to mentioned any ongoing investigation as is being speculated in the Public.

The opposing Senators further argued that, any investigation a member of the Senate should be done in line with senate standing rule 23.

Rule 23 of the senate standing rules states: “A senator may be suspended or expelled from the Senate when a petitioned signed by two-third of the membership of the Senate, same shall be forwarded to the plenary for consideration.”

Section B. of the same Rule 23 states that “after a petition has been read and considered by plenary, a vote of 2/3 (Two-third) majority of the total members of Senators duly seated shall determine the merit or non-merit of the petition.”

Rule 23 C states: “In the event the Senate believes that there is merit, a cross-sessional review team, compromising not less than 3 and not more than 5 Senators, none of whom shall be signatory to the petition, shall be constituted to investigate the matter, consistent with due process as provided for under the Liberian constitution and report their findings and recommendations to the plenary within a period not more than 30 calendar days.”

According to the rule, the time to report may be extended by the plenary upon request of the review team, but the combined total time shall not exceed 60 calendar days.

Section D. of Rule 23 further states: “Plenary shall debate the report and act upon the recommendation. If the recommendation calls for suspension or removal from the senate, a two thirds (2/3) vote is required and that expulsion of a member of the Liberian Senate shall conform to Article 38 of the constitution.”

For their part, Senators in support of an investigation against Senator Dillion said the Senate did not reached to the point of using Rule 23, because there is currently no letter before the body with respect to suspension or expulsion of the Montserrado Lawmaker.

“Most of us are witnesses to the fact that in 2014, we decided to investigate one of our Colleagues Senator Prince Y. Johnson of Nimba for comments made at the time against this body, he was investigated and openly apologized to us, and was subsequently banned to make comments for a period of three months” Maryland County Senator H. Dan Morias pointed to the saga as a precedent case.

For his part, Grand Kru County Senator Peter Colemen, called for a settlement of the issues because the Senate is the “House of Elders”.

According to Senator Coleman, the Senators in support of Senator Dillion action should be the one to make peace.

Following intense deliberation of the issues, Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph in a motion voted by majority members called for the ad-hoc committee to proceed with the investigation and report to Plenary on next Wednesday for upward action.

Senator Varney Sherman, who was earlier selected to chair the committee declined, leaving Senator Henrique Tokpah of Bong County and Senator Matthew Jay of River Gee as the two members of the Committee.