Former Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee has been talking, expressing his ill feelings about being repeatedly smeared and linked to atrocities. He wants to have his days in court.
Monrovia, February 5, 2025/ Koijee has claimed that he was repeatedly smeared with baseless accusations during the George Weah administration. He now calls on the Boakai administration to investigate and prosecute him.
Koijee, once vilified as the mastermind behind mysterious killings, disappearances, and para-military operations, was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) based on what he described as unverified claims peddled by individuals who now sit comfortably in Boakai’s administration.
He said despite his repeated demands for an impartial investigation to clear his name, President Boakai and his cronies remain silent, unable to produce credible evidence.
Koijee explained that despite years of relentless propaganda, no legitimate case has been brought against him, while the real criminals walk free under Boakai’s protection.
He further alleged that the very individuals who accused him of crimes are now at the helm of power, presiding over an alarming surge in human rights violations while shielding their own from scrutiny.
In early December 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) designated Koijee, citing his reputation for stoking violence and having a powerful grip on Monrovia’s youth.
The OFAC noted that Koijee controlled paramilitary-style organizations associated with the then-ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), which allegedly recruited former combatants and released prisoners.
However, Koijee has repeatedly insisted that he is innocent of the crimes or charges brought against him and would want to clear his name in court.
He wants the Boakai administration to do this because, according to him, current officials of the Boakai administration were the ones who cooked out most of the allegations against him.
He said rather than investigating and prosecuting him, they have allegedly plunged the country into a cesspool of lawlessness.
Koijee recalled the highly publicized murder case of Charloe Musu as a case in which he was accused and denied a role in the brutal murder of the deceased.
According to him, the only person ever arrested and charged—former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott—was miraculously freed and rewarded with a government position. At the same time, Charloe’s murder remains unsolved, and the alleged ‘real killer’ roams free under Boakai’s watch.
“What happened to justice? Or does justice only apply when the target is a political enemy?” the former Monrovia City Mayor quipped.
Koijee, in pushing for his investigation and prosecution, descended further into Boakai’s administration closet, throwing jabs.
Koijee: “The so-called “new dawn” of Joseph Boakai’s administration has quickly revealed itself to be nothing more than a charade,” he said, adding “a government that thrives on hypocrisy, shields criminals, and weaponizes justice to target political opponents while indulging in corruption and gross human rights violations,”
“What happened to justice? Or does justice only apply when the target is a political enemy?”
“Under President Boakai’s leadership,” Koijee went on, “the Liberia National Police (LNP) has transformed into nothing more than a state-sponsored gang.”
He claimed that the LNP is responsible for a wave of brutality, alleged extrajudicial killings, and the suppression of dissent.
“The list of atrocities committed under Boakai’s administration in just one year is staggering,” the release alleged.
The release pointed to an incident allegedly in Lofa County, Voinjama City, where a 45-year-old woman known as “Yarmah” was found dead.
The release detailed that her her body was mutilated and sensitive parts extracted—a chilling act reminiscent of ritualistic killings.
“Voinjama Police Cell: A 19-year-old murder suspect was found dead inside his cell. The LNP’s response? Silence. No accountability. No justice,” the release stated.
In Redlight, Montserrado County, the release said a local Fulani businessman, Hassan Jalloh, was brutally murdered, reportedly at the hands of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
“Instead of justice, there was a cover-up. These are just a handful of the 22 documented human rights violations under Boakai’s first year in power—yet there has been no international outcry, sanctions, or demands for accountability. Why?” Koijee pondered.
He alleged that the perpetrators were Boakai’s allies and labeled the administration as a government of lies and hypocrisy.
“Koijee rightly points out the appalling double standards at play. For six years, he was hounded by relentless propaganda, his name dragged through the mud by the very people who now preside over Liberia’s rapid descent into chaos.”
The release stated that Koijee’s accusers screamed for justice when it suited their political agenda, but now that they hold power, they conveniently ignore the suffering of ordinary Liberians.
He noted that this administration has proven to be nothing more than a cabal of corrupt officials who manipulate the system to settle political scores while enabling crime and lawlessness to flourish.
Koijee indicated that the situation in Liberia is dire, adding that the Boakai administration is running the country into the ground.
He claimed that the administration is using state institutions to target opponents while shielding criminals and human rights violators.
“The world must not turn a blind eye to the hypocrisy and brutality unfolding in Liberia.”
“We deserve a government that prioritizes accountability and the rule of law, not one that silences dissent and protects the guilty,” Koijee declared.
He argued that Liberia cannot afford to continue down this treacherous path.
“If Boakai’s government refuses to uphold justice, then it is up to the international community to intervene before Liberia collapses into total anarchy. The time for action is now.”
Meanwhile, the government is yet to react to Koijee’s allegations. – Othello B. Garblah
