Who sold embassy in Spain for $1m?

Liberian officials say “a crook” in Spain has sold Liberia’s embassy there at over US$1m, but Spanish government have already seized proceeds of the sale and were trying to return the buyer’s money and give back Liberia its foreign mission property.

Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. Federick D.Cherue said the dealer sold the embassy over US$1m, and Foreign Minister Marjon V. Kamara said the sale of the embassy did not link any Liberian.

Making an intervention on the last day of a two – day Cabinet Retreatat Julijuah, Bomi County on 31 March, President Ellen Johnson -Sirleaf said she wanted people to know what had happened to theembassy, “because it did not have to do with any Liberian”.

Without naming the buyer, Minister Kamara said the dealer actuallysold the property to a man, but said further it has become a courtcase.

Justice Minister Frederick Cherue said “this property was sold by acrook” who is in such habit … of causing confusion in Europe. TheJustice Minister added that the alleged embassy seller forged thesignatures of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Justice inthe process.

The Liberian Attorney General said the suspect sold the embassy overUS$1 million; but the government of Spain was trying to get the moneyto give it back to the buyer of the property.

“… As we speak to you now, the property will come back to us”,Minister Cherue said, noting that legal mechanisms were being put inplace.

Cllr. Cherue concluded that the money used to buy the property hasbeen seized, and the Spanish Government has considered the act ofselling the embassy as criminal.

Besides the selling of the Liberian embassy in Spain, Liberian VicePresident Amb. Joseph NyumahBoakai had inquired from Foreign MinisterKamara as to what happened to a property that Sierra LeoneanGovernment decided to give to Liberia after portion of Liberia’sproperty there had been taken.

But in response, Minister Kamara told the vice president “I don’t know anything about” the property. When the vice president further indicated that he and another official had gone there and had seen the property, Amb. Kamara replied by saying “okay, we’ll follow up”.

By Winston W. Parley