—–As Call for 5yrs Jail Sentence for Rebel Lawmakers Heightens Amidst showdown On Capitol Hill
IPNEWS: Nimba District No. 2 Lawmaker Musa Hassan Bility says ongoing crisis at the House of Representative are purely about ‘greed’ and not a sincere fight to remove the Speaker of the House due to any wrongs committed.
Speaking on the OK FM afternoon conversation with microphone celebrity, Julius Jeh, Representative Bility narrated that from the inception of Fonati Koffa as Speaker, there have been some concerns from some members of the Honorable House of Representative that they serve on various committee and positions were not properly distributed, ironically, most of those Representatives pushing for the Speaker’s removal were those accused of being favored by the Speaker during committee distribution,
Bility wonders why the disenchanted Lawmakers did not mention it in their resolution obvious reasons.
The Nimba Lawmaker remembers that in one of the disenchantments, the rebel Lawmakers told Speaker not committed to the audit, which Koffa yielded to.
“But the truth of the matter is that, for three times that I sent my communication to the floor as a proponent of the house being audited, it was sent to the dungeon by the Deputy Speaker who presided all three times hearing.” Representative Bility disclosed.
The fearless Nimba Lawmaker stated that the coup on the speaker was triggered by a PRELIMINARY AUDIT REPORT received from the General Auditing Commission (GAC) on the House of Representative a few weeks ago.
“Some of the things wrong with their counts against the speaker; including Fonati created committees outside the structure of the House, but Rep. Anthony Williams who also signed the resolution has been serving (and still serving) on one of those committees (the WASH Committee) and has made several travels on committee duty.”
“ Sam Jallah, a Representative from Bomi County who also signed the resolution for the speaker removal on the basis of creating extra committees outside the HOR structure is also chairing one of those committees (Committee on Science and Technology).”
“The truth of the matter, when those committees were formulated, it was the Deputy Speaker (Thomas Fallah) who presided over the session; not Speaker Fonati Koffa. Their resolution said, Fonati unilaterally appointed people to the ECOWAS committee without the consent of the plenary, but Samuel Korgar (Chairman of the quote-unquote Majority bloc) has been serving and currently serving on the very ECOWAS committee and he has made several travels on committee duty.” Representative Musa Hassan Bility stated.
At the moment tension are high on Capitol Hill with few Lawmakers making way unto the grounds of the Capitol.
IPNEWS reporter says security remain high as some members loyal to Speaker Fonati Koffa, were seen already gearing to attend session.
Controversial District No. 10 Representative Yakeh Kolubah told reporters that he will resist any attempt by the rebel Lawmakers to unseat Speaker Koffa without the required majority votes required by the rules of the House. Details come in shortly.
Meanwhile, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission ( 𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗖), has formally opened investigation into bribery allegations involving rebel Lawmakers seeking to remove Speaker Fonati Koffa.
The LACC stressed that any individuals found guilty of corruption will be held accountable.
In a press statement issued Monday, the commission stressed it has received reports of some lawmakers receiving the amount of 750.000 United States Dollars, noting that if proven will present threat to Liberia legislative process and democratic governance.
The release added that the LACC as an institution charged with the authority to investigate emphasized that corruption in any form is illegal and unacceptable; noting that anyone found to have participated will be hold accountable for their actions.
In a swift reaction, one of those accused, Liberia Water and Sewer Cooperation, Managing Director, Mo Ali posted minutes after the LACC announcement on his official social media post urging the LACC Boss to use the same energy to investigate the plethora of audit reports that it has put in the dustbin.
Prior to the announcement by the LACC, Representative Luther Collins formally submitted a sum of USD 14,800 to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) as part of an ongoing investigation. Accompanied by fellow Representatives Eugene Kollie and Zinnah A. Norman, Collins presented an official complaint to the commission today, urging a thorough inquiry into the matter at hand.
This development marks a significant step in addressing issues of transparency and accountability within the government.
Earlier, House Speaker Fonati Koffa calls for unity amid removal controversy, apologizes to the public for House confusion.
In a statement to legislative reporters, Speaker Koffa expressed regret over the current unrest within the House of Representatives.
He urged members to unite for the betterment of the country and reaffirmed his dedication to fostering unity amid the ongoing challenges.
Speaker Koffa further vowed to use his leadership ability to unite the members of the house of representative in admits the ongoing saga.
Amidst the ongoing reports of bribery, former presidential candidate Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongole, is recommending five years imprisonment for any rebel Lawmaker found responsible for giving and receiving bribes to remove the Speaker of the House of Representative.
Former Presidential Candidate Cllr. Tiawan Saye Gongloe is recommending five years imprisonment for lawmakers who allegedly received a bribe of US$15,000 each to remove House Speaker Jonathan F. Koffa.
Cllr. Gongloe, addressing a press conference over the weekend at his private law office in Central Monrovia, commended those he terms as courageous lawmakers who exposed the plot.
He describes it as an unethical, unlawful, and criminal act of lawmakers receiving US$15,000 each in a conspiracy to remove the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
According to him, the revelation of this conspiracy necessitates immediate and decisive action. He added that this act of bravery by the whistleblower exemplifies integrity and accountability in public service, demonstrating a steadfast commitment to protecting the interests of the Liberian people.
“Under Liberian law, specifically Chapter 9 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officials and Government Employees and Chapter 12 of the Penal Law, bribery is classified as a second-degree felony, punishable by up to five years of imprisonment. The law unequivocally prohibits any public servant from receiving, soliciting, or accepting bribes in exchange for official actions or for neglecting their duties”, Cllr. Gongloe remains.
He notes that in this case, the individuals allegedly involved in accepting bribes have directly undermined the principles of good governance and integrity essential for the nation’s progres
The political leader of the Liberian People’s Party (LPP) argues that Section 9.1 of the Code of Conduct explicitly forbids public officials from accepting bribes or gifts that could influence their professional responsibilities.
Similarly, he indicates that Section 12.50 of the Penal Law of Liberia categorizes bribery as a second-degree felony, and if proven, these actions constitute a grave breach of public trust and a blatant violation of the law.
“I urge the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to promptly initiate a thorough investigation into this matter and prosecute those found culpable, including both the receivers and the givers, to the fullest extent of the law. Bribery in government is not merely a crime; it is a profound betrayal of public trust. Moving forward, we must ensure that whistleblowers are both encouraged and protected, as they play a crucial role in exposing corruption and safeguarding our nation’s integrity. Cllr. Gongloe, also former President of the Liberia National Bar Association, says.
He laments that the fight against bribery and corruption is fundamental to building a more transparent and accountable Liberia, saying, “Together, we must steadfastly defend the integrity of our government institutions.”
He urges Liberians to reflect on what the money could have achieved for the country’s schools and clinics, pointing out that this is one of the reasons he is advocating for eliminating graduation fees from kindergarten to university level in both private and public schools.
“This issue should not be ignored or concealed, as the betrayal of public trust has severe negative repercussions for our people. Consider that each of the 48 members of the House of Representatives received US$15,000, totaling US$720,000 or LD 136,800,000 under this criminal conspiracy.” He underscores.
Meanwhile, the Liberian integrity torchbearer lauds Representative Luther Collins for exposing the criminal syndicate, adding that the action aligns with his Broom Movement’s mission to eradicate corruption in government.
“Representative Collins has set a commendable example for other lawmakers across Africa to follow in exposing such criminal conspiracies wherever they occur.” Cllr. Gongloe expresses.
