-in lawmaker’s alleged drug trafficking claim
By Lewis S. Teh
A pressure group in electoral district#13, Montserrado County – Team Andy, is calling on the leadership and members of the 54th Liberian Legislature to conduct an impartial investigation into circumstances involving one of their colleagues, who has been accused of drug smuggling in the country.
“We are triggered by an allegation publicized in the June 28, 2021 edition of the FrontPage Africa Newspaper wherein a member of the 54th National Legislature residing within the township of Gardnersville was associated with drugs smuggling”, the group says.
Addressing a news conference Wednesday, June 30, 2021at its district office in Topoe Village, Somalia Drive, Team Andy explains it is an embodiment of enlightened young professionals who seek to promote national development through ethical leadership, capacity building initiatives, grassroots community engagements thus, it owes its brilliance, capacity, and professionalism to the lowest ebb of the community and country at large.
Chairman Henry G. Brumskine said the information surrounding the unidentified Lawmaker’ involvement in drugs smuggling came to the spotlight as a result of a female commander of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) Martha Massaley who made the disclosure during the commemoration of International Day against Drugs Abuse and Illicit Drugs Trafficking recently.
Brumskine noted that considering the demographic of the National Elections Commission, the Township of Gardnersville encompasses three (3) statutory electoral districts namely; district # 11 headed by Rep. Richard Nagbe Koon, district #12 headed by Rep. George Beyan Samah, and district # 13 headed by Rep. Edward Papay Flomo.
He says Team Andy believes the allegation gravely borders around the integrity of the first branch of government and said the lawmaker has dishonorably assassinated the sacred solemnity of the Liberian constitution as enshrined in Chapter V, Article 31.
Disappointingly, “we witnessed the appearance of Martha Massaley disgustingly contradicting herself and fumbling with elementary logic in an effort to protect her life and job”, he noted, and added that “we believe her statements before plenary were infallibly hypocritical, unethical, deceptive, unpatriotic and disjointed from her statements made on the international day against drugs abuse.”
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Mr. Brumskine believes Commander Massaley was under external political pressure, job coercion, and life threats which prompted her to have an automatic drift from her call to national duty to the subjugation of inferiority complex.
The group, therefore, calls on the national legislature to inquire deeply into this matter, saying this could be done by demanding the full audio or video recordings of Martha Massaley’s statements made on Friday, June 25, 2021.
He wants the legislature to execute its duties without bias, cautioning the disdainful act allegedly being carried out by a member of the legislature centers around the integrity of the legislature and the international image of Liberia.
TEAM ANDY calls on Rep. Edward Papay Flomo to empathically state his official position on the matter within 48 hours and be the lead-campaigner within the plenary.
Brumskine says the failure of Flomo to make clear his position on the issue will be a clear demonstration of his unwillingness to fight drugs smuggling and validation of the longstanding ghetto characterization which has been over his personality for a long period of time.
Meanwhile, Team Andy says it is troubled by the escalation of the fatality rate within the homeland, including the tragic passing of an immaculate statesman and papered historian Rev. Emmanuel Bowier and all other faithful departed by natural causes or by means of the pandemic. “We extend our condolences to all of their families and we wish for their souls to peacefully rest in martyrdom.”
