Court actions hang over County Officials

Suspended Bong County Statutory District Superintendent Joseph Weleteh has been dragged to court for allegedly embezzling US$60,000.00 The money was provided by the Atlantic Resource – a logging company, as land rental fee for a parcel of land in Botota, Kokoyah Statutory District.

Bong County Superintendent Selena Polson Mappy suspended the Kokoyah Statutory District Superintendent two years back before being taken to court last weekend by the state, through the office of the County Attorney.

The logging company is currently packing some of its logs in Botota in preparation for shipment through the Port of Buchanan. The company considers Botota as a shorter route from Lofa County through Bong County.

Since the suspension of the statutory District Superintendent, many have been calling for his prosecution to deter other local officials, who will have the intention, from using public money for personal initiatives. Bong County Superintendent Selena Polson Mappy, who suspended the Superintendent, is also currently facing a lawsuit for allegedly misapplying US$250,000.00 allocated at one of the county development sittings for feasibility studies to pave some major streets of Gbarnga.

But madam Mappy told a gathering of delegates from across the county that the money was used to fight Ebola, as well as other Ebola-related projects. The Superintendent’s report resulted to serious tension in the county, with many calling for the restitution of the amount.

Two civil society actors in the county – Aaron Juakollie of the Foundation for International Dignity or FIND and Jersey Cole of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission or JPC, wrote a complaint to Bong County Anthony Cornelius Wennah seeking his intervention for the prosecution of the superintendent.

County Attorney Wennah told our reporter that he cited the Superintendent and some members of the county hierarchy on the allegation leveled against, but failed to turn out for the conference on grounds that he should engage the Minister of Internal Affairs on such matter.

However, County Attorney Cornelius Wennah has maintained that despite the fact that Superintendent Selena Polson Mappy and her Deputy – Anthony Sheriff, were appointed by the President, they still have to go to court to exonerate themselves of corruption allegations.

Superintendent Mappy – currently attending an international conference in Swede, is expected to return to the county at the end of September. But Bong County Development Superintendent Anthony Sheriff has not made any comment on the court action about to be taken against them for allege corruption.

Papa Morris from Gbarnga, Bong County – Edited George Barpeen