School teachers busted

-for dubious scheme 

At least two suspects accused by several public school students of duping them in thousands of Liberian dollars for school fees payments have been arrested by police in Monrovia, undergoing investigation.

Suspects Lawerence Jappah and Kesselly Johnson, who were both seen in hand-cuffs at the National Police Headquarters in Monrovia on Thursday, March12, 2015, have allegedly admitted to “extorting money” from school kids whose school fees were rejected by school authorities due to lateness.

Several of the victimized students told reporters yesterday that they were struggling to make payment at the G. W. Gibson High School, one of the public schools under the Monrovia Consolidated School System, to be enlisted on official class rosters, when they individually encountered these alleged extortionists, who assured them they would be placed on their “teacher’s ward” or register them as teacher’s beneficiary.

Police Spokesman Sam Collins, said suspects Jappah, Johnson and some others still being traced, are charging students even far more than fees stipulated by the Ministry of Education for students, accusing the extortionists of receiving L$3,000 from each student, while other students paid US$40, among others.

As at Thursday, Mr. Collins had alarmed that nearly over 30 students had been duped by the dubious teachers, who he noted, would extend their extortion scheme  to parents under the guise of providing scholarships or “teacher’s benefit” for students.

A Tenth Grade student, Sarah Nah, narrated that a registrar at the G.W. Gibson High School could not accept her school fees due to her lateness; but she allegedly came across suspect Lawrence Jappah, while struggling for help and he requested for $3,500LD.

She said after negotiations, she paid him $3,000 and suspect Jappah had promised to help her. But she said when classes began, she was told her name was not on the school roster, and that she must go and find the person to whom she gave her money.

When she engaged the accused, victim Nah claimed he told her he would settle the matter because he was within in the employ of the Monrovia Consolidated School System or MCSS. But he failed to do same until his arrest.

Another victim, who tried to register for the Tenth Grade class at G.W. Gibson, Gerraldine Gibson, said when the registrar refused her money, suspect Lawrence Jappah promised to help her, which led her to pay him L$1,000 plus US$25.00 but she could not find her name on the school roster.

Meanwhile, Mr. Collins said it was unfortunate that individuals would extort students striving to enroll in school, especially making emphasis on the fact that they were demanded far more than what the MOE had stipulated.

He warned that police were making frantic efforts to apprehend those masquerading on school campuses to exploit innocent students of their school fees, as they would face prosecution.

By Winston W. Parley