IPNEWS-Ganta, Nimba: The authoritative Independent Probe has gathered that during the just-ended four-day Ganta Retreat in Nimba County, the Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin was greeted with verbal exchanges and outbursts when he took the podium to deliberate on the successes, challenges and the forward match of the anti-graft institution.

According to our IPNEWS correspondent who covered the Cabinet Retreat, during the LACC Boss PowerPoint presentation, and while in speech and emphasizing on various investigations that have exposed corrupt officials and institutions, he was jeered by what many believed to be government officials who have been hooked in corruption scandals based on recent LACC findings.

The officials did not take lightly to the Anti-Corruption Boss presentation and some of the indictees in attendance were heard throwing derogatory comments across the floor throughout Cllr. Martin’s presentation. And unlike other heads of Ministries and Agencies who were protected by the Master of Ceremony, the LACC Executive Chairperson was left to his own mercy as cross section of government officials rained verbal assaults and derogatory comments on him in the presence of President George Weah.

Pres. Weah addresses the Retreat with cross section of cabinet ministers insert.

Cllr. Martin’s presentation, unlike previous speakers who were allotted 5 minutes each, lasted pretty close to an hour. Our correspondent asserted that things became heated and journalists were asked out of the hall by Deputy Press Secretary Smith Toby, to avoid them witnessing the ugly scene.

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission was established in 2008 by an act of Legislature and its statutory responsibilities and mandate include investigating and prosecuting acts of corruption.

The anti-graft institution, along with the General Auditing Commission, has been very vibrant in recent months and has hooked scores of government institutions and officials for financial malpractices and improprieties.

Some of the officials those who have fallen in the dragnet of the LACC’s recent investigations include Minister of Agriculture, Liberia Institute of Statistics & Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), Liberia Water and Sewage Corporation (LWSC) among others.

Meanwhile, political pundits and ordinary Liberians are of the belief the fight against corruption under the Weah-led government is under threat as many recommendations and calls for prosecution by the LACC to the Ministry of Justice from the anti-graph institutions have fallen on deaf ears.

The LACC has maintained its call for prosecutorial powers to be granted in order to prosecute alleged corrupt government officials, instead of relying on the Ministry of Justice that has so many other cases to fight in court.