Bility gets initial police clearance

Following police inquiry with commercial bank Guaranty Trust (GT – Bank) surrounding the alleged issuance of bad check by opposition Liberty Party stalwart Musa Bility, Liberia’s Police Inspector General Col. Gregory Coleman says LNP has informed INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) for Nigeria that such instrument does not exist.

Col. Coleman told journalists Wednesday, 23 August that the Liberia National Police (LNP) began investigating allegation of fraud and issuance of bad check against Mr. Bility in response to the NCB’s request for mutual cooperation.

It surrounds a business deal between Mr. Bility and Nigerian oil merchant Mr. Kunle Roberts who is alleged to have complained that Mr. Bility issued him bad check amounting to US$250,000 in settling debt for petroleum products he allegedly shipped to the accused in Liberia based on an alleged agreement reached in 2012.

Col. Coleman says Mr. Bility confirms to police investigators that he has legitimate business deal with Mr. Roberts, but investigation so far with GT – Bank finds no trace of such bad check.

Based on a police request with the NCB over a month ago, Col. Coleman says the Nigerian authorities replied last week and sent copies of the alleged check. “Upon receipt of the copies of the check, we contacted the GT – Bank who allegedly was the originator of the check, and the GT – Bank had check their system back and forth. They responded to us in writing and there’s absolutely no trace of that check,” Col. Coleman says.

He therefore notes that the instrument used to generate such suspicion against Mr. Bility has questionability. Notwithstanding, he says the LNP is furthering its investigation with the Clearing House at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to ascertain if there is any information surrounding the check.

“So we are waiting to hear from the Central Bank Clearing House as to whether that check ever passed through them or not,” he says. Col. Coleman however notes that NCB Nigeria is acting on good faith by investigating a complaint by Nigerian citizens that they were issued bad check. He says Mr. Bility has provided his bank statement and confirmed that he has legitimate business deal with the complainant in question.

–By Winston W. Parley, Editing by Othello B. Garblah