By: Joseph Tommey,
Diplomatic Correspondent

IPNews-Monrovia: Credible sources in Washington D.C., U.S.A., have hinted that Liberia’s Foreign Minister, Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. could be the next ‘U.S. Sanction Designatee’ in the unforgettable passport saga which rocked the government of Liberia sometime last year.

According to sources in Washington D.C., now Foreign Minister Kemayah supervised the purchase, printing and distribution of thousands of Liberian passports, while he served as Deputy Minister for Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Min. Kemayah was appointed by President George Manneh, on March 5th 2018.

It may be recalled the United States Department of State, in a statement on September 10, 2020, said it had rejected former Passport Director Andrew Wonplo entry into America for ‘criminal charges of Corruption’ committed in Liberia, while serving as Director of the Bureau of Visas and Passport, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to a statement issued by former Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, the Public Designation of Andrew Wonplo was due to involvement in acts of significant Corruption.

“Today, I am announcing the public designation of the former Director of Passport and Visas at the Liberian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andrew Wonplo, due to his involvement in significant corruption.”

The U.S. department of States also stated that Mr. Wonplo in his official capacity at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2018 to 2019, was involved in passport fraud that undermined the rule of law, reduced the Liberian faith in their government’s management of identification and travel documents, and compromised the integrity and security of immigration processes.

“This designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94). Under Section 7031(c), once the Secretary of State designates officials of foreign governments for their involvement, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.”

” The law also requires the Secretary of State to either publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to Mr. Wonplo, I am announcing the public designation of his spouse, Dennice Wonplo, and their minor children.” The U.S. Department stated said.

This designation reaffirms U.S. commitment to standing with the people and government of Liberia in their fight against corruption. The Department will continue to use these authorities to promote accountability for corrupt actors in this region and globally.” The statement emphasized.

According to the US Secretary of State, the designation is made under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2020 (Div. G, P.L. 116-94). “Under Section 7031(c), once the Secretary of State designates officials of foreign governments for their involvement, directly or indirectly, in significant corruption, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. The law also requires the Secretary of State to either publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to Mr. Wonplo, I am announcing the public designation of his spouse, Dennice Wonplo, and their minor children. This designation reaffirms U.S. commitment to standing with the people and government of Liberia in their fight against corruption. The Department will continue to use these authorities to promote accountability for corrupt actors in this region and globally.”

Wonplo was arrested in August 2019 and sent to the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice where he was detained for his failure to secure a criminal appearance bond after officers of the Liberian National Police had forwarded him to the Magisterial Court for prosecution.

Mr. Wonplo and a Nigerian national identified as Adedoyin E. Atiro were indicted by the state during the August term of court in 2019 on three crimes–economic Sabotage, theft of property and criminal conspiracy.

The Police charge sheet indicated that while serving as Passport Director in July 2019 and before his arrest in August 2019, 4,250 pieces of blank Liberian Passports were entrusted to the Passport and Visas Bureau under his supervision as Director of Passport at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hours after the U.S. Government designation, Andrew Wonplo vowed to spill the beans for the criminal Passports he was accused and designated for.

Mr. Wonplo claimed that proceeds from the sales of the passports were used for campaign purposes in Grand Bassa County by Amb. Gbehzohngar M. Findley, for his quest as Senatorial aspirant, Grand Bassa County.

But contrary to Wonplo’s assertions, former Foreign Minister Findley, stated that his bid for the Liberian Senate is not off his own volution but the collective decision of the Bassa people due to his overwhelming development achievements while he served as the country’s Senator for nine years.

Former Liberia Minister of Foreign Affairs Gbehzohngar M. Findley, says he will avail himself to any form of investigation whether in Liberia or Internationally over ongoing alleged sale of Liberian diplomatic Passports and Honorable Counsel General positions.

The former Foreign Minister, addressing a major press conference in Buchanan City, stated that ‘at no time did he ever instruct or authorize the former Director of Visas, Andrew Wonplo to sell government of Liberia passports’.

Amb. Findley told journalists that through his proper oversight of the affairs at the Ministry, the criminal conspiracy was bursted, resulting to Andrew Wonplo’s subsequent suspension and investigation by the National Security Agency-NSA.

He said Wonplo did not act alone but rather it was a conspiracy between a Nigerian individual stationed in Ghana and some staff of the passport section jointly working with Andrew Wonplo in carrying out the criminal conspiracy.

“Considering the robust system im place at the Ministry of Foreign in obtaining Passport through Bank payment transaction, Wonplo cleverly change Ghanian and Nigerian names to Liberian names, payment for them, prepared them and sold those passports to the non-Liberians.”

“The issue of these missing passports are not a strange issue to me because as Minister of Foreign Affairs, I directed a full scale investigation conducted with the Involvement of the National Security Agency-NSA.

“Let me assure Liberians and the world that Liberian Passports are save, and we kept the integrity of our international passports and credentials save”

Amb. Gbehzohngar M. Findley, furthermore mentioned that, contrary to social media and unfounded discussion that Passports and Honorable Counsel General positions were on sale to alleged convicted criminals and drug traffickers, that all holders of Liberian Diplomatic Passports and Honorable Consul-General positions and status were properly vetted do in keeping with the laws and procedures of Liberia and with the involvement of the National Security Agency-NSA with statutory mandate to conduct same.

He also refuted claims by Mr. Wonplo that he was instructed by President George Weah to sell the passports to non-Liberians.

“The issuance of Passports is the sole prerogative of the Minister and not the President of Liberia as spelled out by the former Passport Director Andrew Wonplo.” Amb Findley maintained.