IPNEWS-MONROVIA: Not until March when Cllr. A. Ndubusi Nwabudike, leaves the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, as Chairperson. Yet before this, as spelled out by President George Manneh Weah, asking Cllr. Nwabudikie to hold on until March 2021, it seem like hell is going to break loose at the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission-LACC.

In the letter of resignation dated January 27, 2021, Cllr. Thanked Dr. Weah for affording him the opportunity to serve in his government.

“The monumental progress made by the Government in the fight against corruption, both in the public and private sectors, is being marred by public debate of my person rather than what contribution I can make towards the economic development of our country”, Cllr. Nwabudike said in his letter of resignation.

He added: “It does not serve the overall strategic interest of your government and our people if I were to constitute a distraction from the national agenda that your government is poised to deliver to our people in the next three years of the Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).”

Prior to this letter of resignation, Cllr. Nwabudike , during a senior staff meeting lashed out at both Cllr. Charles JL Gibson and Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, for being the masterminds behind series of negative media propaganda and groups protest over his resignation and vowed to countered.

According to a communication obtained by the authoritative Independent Probe, embattled Austin Nwabudike deleted from the payroll the name of Charles J.L. Gibson, Oversight Commissioner for Administration, at LACC, on grounds that he has been nominated to the Governance Commission, even though he has not gotten a official appointment letter.

The communication to Gibson, from the Human Resource Officer, and Acting Executive Director, upon orders of Cllr. Nwabudike, a copy to which is obtained by IPNews states: “Contegent upon an inquiry made to the Executive Chairperson,by the Honorable Senate regarding your appointment and confirmation in your current position, as directive of the Executive Chairperson, we are constrained to terminate further payment of salary and benefits, as commissioner of the commission pending further advice from the appointing authority.”

The communication dated Monday, January 25, 2021, immediately followed heated exchanges between both Charles J.L. Gibson, and Cllr. Austin Nwabudike, after he accused both Gibson and Commissioner Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, about being the sponsors of negative Media propaganda and demonstrations against him.

IPNews, has further obtained an exchange text massage between Charles J.L. Gibson and Cllr. Austin Nwabudike, making innocence of his conscience against perceived notion being harbored by the embattled LACC Boss.

The leaked SMS massage obtained states: ” Chair! I’m not texting you as a way to rescind your letter removing me from the payroll… But I want to make clarity…. I learn from the atmosphere that u insinuated that I am behind the letter to the US embassy and the plan demonstration…. Cllr this is gut wrenching to me… What will be my motive? U did nothing to me why will I want to destroy you.. Although frankly I think u came to LACC with small animosity and apprehension towards me but we over came same and had a cordial relationship…. In my mind the quicker I help u succeed the sooner I could get my appointment which I have been waiting for over a year now…… If You leave Leave LACC will not be appointed so why will I wanna fight you? The doors you can open I can not even stand in front of it.
I which I could help u believe me but its up to you… My conscience is clear and I have nothing but respect for you.. In spite of you sometimes you try to belittle me… But I am experience and understand those moves to exert power.”

IPNews gathered a day after the communication to Cllr. Gibson, the security detail assigned at the home of Charles J.L. Gibson, was also ordered withdrawn late on Saturday, January 30, 2021, moments after Cllr. Nwabudike tendered his resignation to President George Weah.

Now before Cllr. Nwadibukie officially handover note to his successor, he is now clearing his desk through divisional means by ensuring Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, one of the perceived anti-Nwabudikie is no longer at the LACC.

On yesterday at a press conference, the erstwhile Executive Director (ED) of the LACC, Mohammed Fahnbulleh accused
Commissioner Kanio Bai Gbala, of beibg currupt for unlawfully benefiting from salary payments from the LACC while working for the UNDP.

Mr. Fahnbulleh accused Gbala receiving DSA, scratch cards, fuel etc. for a trip, even though he did not attend thise trips.

He further accused Commission Kanio Bai Gbala of receiving 500usd intended for a press briefing at MICAT that remains unaccounted for, including purchasing of Government of Liberia (GOL) depreciated property.

But in a swift response, Cllr. Kanio Bai Gbala, has termed the accusations as ‘FALSE’, and a camapign by a ‘job seekibg man’.

Cllr. Gbala denies the accusation of receiving payment while employed with UNDP as being alleged by Mr. Fahnbulleh.

“I was appointed by H.E. Dr. George Weah on October 18, 2019. I tendered my letter of resignation to the UNDP on November 11, 2019. Upon visiting the commission, the erstwhile ED of the LACC advised me to furnish him bank account details to which cash was paid for 3 months under the argument that the government of Liberia (GOL) was experiencing a cash/salary crunch which would affect timely delivery of my future salaries; thus the need to PROGRAM payments early. I obliged KNOWING FULLY well that such action did not constitute any wrongdoing as there was no guarantee that the cash would be paid within the stipulated timeframe and even if it was paid, the intent was never to secretly defraud the government of Liberia. Over that 3 month period, salaries were paid erratically which upon MY OWN INSISTENCE (not the ED or anyone else) were returned to the government of Liberia to ensure our records were up to date. Any other documents to the contrary are manufactured between the ED and his fiancee whom he seeks to make Comptroller of the LACC by strongarming Cllr. Nwabudike.”

On the issue of receiving DSA, scratch cards, fuel etc. for a trip which he did not attend, Gbala stated that: “I have NEVER received ANY DSA, scratch cards, fuel etc. for which I have not PERFORMED. Matter of fact, the LACC owes me outstanding amounts on fuel and DSA for services I performed for which no cash was available. I did not attend the meeting in Zwedru because the erstwhile ED of the LACC disrespectfully procured a defective vehicle and expected me to drive hundreds of miles outside Monrovia without AC. When I confronted him about this, he claimed that better vehicles were more expensive and harder to secure. Of course I refused to endanger my health (I’m asthmatic) by traveling under such conditions. To compensate, I attended both consultative meetings in Gbarnga and Buchanan with my personal vehicle at no extra DSA, fuel or communication cost to the Commission with the allocated cash properly expensed.”

Commission Gbala categorically rejected cliams of receiving 500usd intended for a press briefing at MICAT that remains unaccounted for.

“The 500usd was received by my assistant and turned over to the relevant authorities at the Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism (MICAT). When contacted, I advised the ED’s fiancee who doubles as Chief Accountant on more than one occasion to contact the specific person at the MICAT to collect the receipt. Apparently she has refused to do so or is simply feigning ignorance to support this frivolous campaign of her fiance.”

On the ‘Purchasing of GOL depreciated property’, Gbala responded:”The purchasing of depreciated GOL property is not left at the descretion of any ED or Chairperson but rather to GOL policy. The car I drive has eclipsed the current GOL buy back policy thereby making me the primary user eligible to seek to purchase it. How does this equate to corruption?”

Commissioner Kanio Bai Gbala states that the lies spilked out by Mr. Fahnbulleh is 8ntended to bring frivolous allegations of “corruption” in February 2021 which he claimed to have observed in January 2020, More than a year ago, because his contract has expired, because of his rejection for the renewal of Fahnbulleh’s contract for Administrative inconsistentcies.

“The ED’s contract expired in August of 2020. Consistent with the LACC’s Act, Commissioners agreed to comprehensively evaluate the performance of the ED and on that basis either extend or cancel his contract. Our collective evaluations revealed the ED to be severely incompetent in the discharge of his professional functions. Further evaluations conducted with ordinary LACC staff members revealed even worse results. The documentations are housed with HR for reference. Despite his manifest deficiencies, we grudgingly agreed to renew his contract based solely on the plea of Executive Chair Nwabudike that a) “he would improve” b)“we shouldn’t take bread from someone’s pa mouth” and c) specific professional milestones/conditions would be inserted into his new contract which if unrealized will lead to automatic cancellation after a specified period.”

“Despite our earlier agreement, I have now written Chair Nwabudike with copy to the erstwhile ED canceling my earlier promise to renew the ED’s contract because the guarantee given by Cllr. Nwabudike to ensure performance is no longer valid as Cllr. Nwabudike exits the LACC in 2 weeks.”

“The ED also managed to armtwist Cllr. Nwabudike into proposing his fiancee as Comptroller of the LACC despite the fact that she has not served more than a year in her current position as Chief Accountant, a position she has occupied for less than a year after being summarily elevated from her post of Finance Assistant. And if she has served for more than a year, no performance evaluation has been done to ascertain whether she has performed adequately. Given the lack of an effective evaluation, the very delicate nature of the position, coupled with new developments from the office of the Comptroller General regarding competencies and roles of Comptrollers, I advised that it was only proper that whomever we select to serve as Comptroller comes through a merit-based, intensive recruitment process so that the LACC does not face compliance issues in the future. These decisions were communicated last week.” Cllr. Kanio Gbala contended.

Commissioner Gbala argues that why did Fahnbulleh wait all those years before making cliams of curruption until his contract renewal was rejected by me?

“If this erstwhile, so-called “professional” ED really did believe I committed acts of corruption for which I should I should be duly held accountable, I wonder why over the last 3 months he has visited and entreated Cllr. Abraham Sillah (colleague of my wife), Sekou Kalasco Damarro and even Finda Bundo asking them to beg me for the renewal of his contract?”

“And just so we clear the record: there absolutely no pending investigation against me as we speak. The erstwhile ED possesses no authority to instruct any staff lest to mention an investigator to commence action against any person accused of corruption. That power lies solely with the Board of Commissioners.”

“Finally, let me advise the ED that collecting salaries without a valid contract equates to corruption. I am hereby advising the LACC HR and other relevant LACC actors to take judicial notice of this fact or be held culpable in the future.” Cllr Kanio Bai Gbala Responded.