Deputy Information Minister Eugene Fagon says government is not investigating alleged missing money here, but it is basically reviewing the authorization to print, and order currency banknotes, among others.
He told a press briefing Thursday, 11 October in Monrovia that the government’s investigation is not centered on missing money, saying news in the public that government is conducting investigation into the $16 billion saga is not factual.
Amid reports of alleged missing $16 billion Liberian Dollars, President George Manneh Weah set a special presidential investigative team (PIT) to probe the allegation.
The team placed several persons of interest under travel ban, but it has just this week removed six of them from travel ban, including former President Ellen Johnson – Sirleaf’s son, deputy Central Bank Governor Charles Sirleaf and Bank spokesman Cyrus Badio.
But Mr. Fahngon claims that government is basically reviewing the authorization to print money and it is also interviewing people of interest.
He says government’s review is meant to get full accountability of Liberian dollars banknotes, foreign currency banknotes, the Legacy and mutilated banknotes, foreign currency auction or exchange, and the infusion of a US$25 million into the economy here.
He argues that at no point in time did the government say it was investigating the alleged missing money as has been reported.
“Let me make myself clear that this government is investigating the 25 million that was infused in the economy, and the printing of the huge banknotes that was printed by the Central Bank of Liberia or CBL,” he says.
According to Mr. Fahngon, the government’s decision to launch and call for independent investigators to help with the ongoing investigation is at the result of the allegation that 16 billion Liberian Banknotes were missing.
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Mr. Fahngon concludes that from the agreement between the US Government and the Liberian government, there is a team of independent forensic experts that is expected here [for the purpose of the investigation].He calls on citizens to exercise restraints as the president has indicated and with the approval of the US Government thru its latest statement.
By Lewis S. Teh–Edited by Winston W. Parley
