—Says Sanction Not Death Sentence as He Tender in Resignation
IPNEWS: Former Solicitor General, Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, says his time working with Justice Minister, Musa Dean, was an experience ‘living in Hell’.
In his resignation letter to President George Manneh Weah, Cephus stated that the decision to resign is based on a careful review of the smear campaign undertaken by the Minister of Justice and Attorney- General, Frank Musa Dean and his cronies against the office of the Solicitor-General and Chief Prosecutor of the Republic, as well as against his person, image and professional character, which have now been complicated by the imposition of sanctions on him by the US Treasury Department for alleged corruption, misuse of his office and the misappropriation of state and private assets.
The now former Solicitor-Gsolicitor-General said working with Frank Musa Dean and his cronies was like ‘living in hell’.
“Frank Musa Dean ran and continues to run a “parallel government” opposed to anyone seen as your ardent supporter; he shut his office doors on me for two years, and boasted about this on OK FM; intermittently kept speech from me , and during these periods, he held press conferences, and issued countless inflammatory press releases in which he falsely accused me of running a “parallel Ministry of Justice” after incessantly failing to convince Your Excellency to have me dismissed unceremoniously without any justifiable reason.”
“Excellency, despite these incendiary attacks on me in the Liberian media, especially the Frontpageafrica newspaper sponsored by Frank Musa Dean and cronies for the past two years, and the litany of administrative provocations, ranging from denial of basic amenities, using certain prosecutors to undermine my authority, to usurping my functions and spreading false information about my actions and activities as Solicitor-General, I chose silence and patience as effective tools to work in this sort of unsavory environment that reduces the Ministry of Justice to Frank Musa Dean’s “private law firm” with the belief that with time and events there would have been a change of behavior and he would have ultimately realized that this was a public office but I was wrong, and today, I find myself, my life, and my future and that of my family draped in US Treasury Department sanctions lured by Dean’s ceaseless provocations.” Former Solicitor General, Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, narrated.
Cephus extended appreciation to president George Weah, for the time served—stressing he leaves with a fond memory of the respect and cooperation he received and enjoyed from the staff and employees including most of the prosecutors of the Department of Prosecution.
The former Solicitor General attempted that he is deeply saddened and quite ruffled by the fact he leaves at a time when he had to be on sanction.
Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus: “Excellency, the office of Solicitor-General is quite esteemed and highly venerated, and for this reason, I want to publicly thank you so much for having given me the opportunity to have served in that capacity and to have rendered manifold services to our country and people for the last four and half years. While I leave with a fond memory of the respect and cooperation I received and enjoyed from the staff and employees including most of the prosecutors of the Department of Prosecution, I am however deeply saddened and quite ruffled by the fact I am not leaving at Your Excellency’s volition, as required under Article 56 of the 1986 Constitution but under sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department without your knowledge, and for alleged corruption and the abuse of my office falsely brought against me by Frank Musa Dean, an agent provocateur and his cronies in Your Excellency’s government. Please note that Frank Musa Dean is the head of your enemies within the government, and God willing, Your Excellency will see the evil deeds of Frank Musa Dean for yourself in time to come.”
“Further, I had thought, as I indicated in my recent letter of complaint that an investigation would have been had, in order to afford me the opportunity of a due process, so as to confront Musa Dean and his cronies but the real challenge seems to be Dean’s stealthy and scandalous campaign to invite these sanctions on me has made it difficult if not impossible for him to properly advise the government because he would be both a witness and a judge against me.”
Meanwhile, Cephus has told president George Weah that the US Treasury Department sanction against him is not a death sentence on my life, but however, applauded the US government for the in that he I believes he will be given due process, even though he have been mistakenly targeted, but there’s still life and he is glad that the truth will prevail.
“My only regret is that I will have to live with a corruption “ Former Solicitor General, Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus, stated.
See full text of Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus statement.
Cllr. Sayma Syrenius Cephus
Gbengba Town,
Robertsfield Highway
Monrovia, Liberia
September 9, 2022
H.E. George Manneh Weah
President
Republic of Liberia
Executive Mansion
Monrovia, Liberia
Excellency:
I have the honor to present my compliments and extend to Your Excellency best wishes for your good health, and to inform you that this communication constitutes my formal resignation from the post of Solicitor-General and Chief Prosecutor of the Republic—a position that I honorably held and professionally executed for the last four and half years.
The decision is based on a careful review of the smear campaign undertaken by the Minister of Justice and Attorney- General, Frank Musa Dean and his cronies against the office of the Solicitor-General and Chief Prosecutor of the Republic, as well as against my person, image and professional character, which have now been complicated by the imposition of sanctions on me by the US Treasury Department for alleged corruption, misuse of my office and the misappropriation of state and private assets.
Excellency, working with Frank Musa Dean and his cronies was like living in hell— Frank Musa Dean ran and continues to run a “parallel government” opposed to anyone seen as your ardent supporter; he shut his office doors on me for two years, and boasted about this on OK FM; intermittently kept speech from me , and during these periods, he held press conferences, and issued countless inflammatory press releases in which he falsely accused me of running a “parallel Ministry of Justice” after incessantly failing to convince Your Excellency to have me dismissed unceremoniously without any justifiable reason.
Excellency, despite these incendiary attacks on me in the Liberian media, especially the Frontpageafrica newspaper sponsored by Frank Musa Dean and cronies for the past two years, and the litany of administrative provocations, ranging from denial of basic amenities, using certain prosecutors to undermine my authority, to usurping my functions and spreading false information about my actions and activities as Solicitor-General, I chose silence and patience as effective tools to work in this sort of unsavory environment that reduces the Ministry of Justice to Frank Musa Dean’s “private law firm” with the belief that with time and events there would have been a change of behavior and he would have ultimately realized that this was a public office but I was wrong, and today, I find myself, my life, and my future and that of my family draped in US Treasury Department sanctions lured by Dean’s ceaseless provocations.
Excellency, the office of Solicitor-General is quite esteemed and highly venerated, and for this reason, I want to publicly thank you so much for having given me the opportunity to have served in that capacity and to have rendered manifold services to our country and people for the last four and half years. While I leave with a fond memory of the respect and cooperation I received and enjoyed from the staff and employees including most of the prosecutors of the Department of Prosecution, I am however deeply saddened and quite ruffled by the fact I am not leaving at Your Excellency’s volition, as required under Article 56 of the 1986 Constitution but under sanctions imposed by the US Treasury Department without your knowledge, and for alleged corruption and the abuse of my office falsely brought against me by Frank Musa Dean, an agent provocateur and his cronies in Your Excellency’s government. Please note that Frank Musa Dean is the head of your enemies within the government, and God willing, Your Excellency will see the evil deeds of Frank Musa Dean for yourself in time to come.
Further, I had thought, as I indicated in my recent letter of complaint that an investigation would have been had, in order to afford me the opportunity of due process, to confront Musa Dean and his cronies but the real challenge seems to be Dean’s stealthy and scandalous campaign to invite these sanctions on me has made it difficult if not impossible for him to properly advise the government because he would be both a witness and a judge against me.
Excellency, the US Treasury Department sanction is not a death sentence on my life, and so I applaud the US government for this because I believe I will be given due process, even though I have been mistakenly targeted, but there’s still life and I am glad that the truth will prevail. However, my only regret is that I will have to live with a corruption “guilty verdict” instigated by Musa Dean and cronies in which I was never given due process and may never have any due process even in my own country if no investigation is had.
Excellency, thank you so much for having appointed me to the esteemed position of Solicitor-General and Chief Prosecutor of the Republic to serve my country and people, but beyond this, I am grateful to God, Almighty, the Chief Architect of life and
