A representative of the Mano River Union Youth Parliament Kusee Lepolu Armstrong has called on the government of Liberia through its Judiciary branch to prosecute those who were recently indicted from Bong County.
“Let the government prosecute those who have been indicted. I think it will be a good start for everyone of us as citizens,” he said recently.
Several former and current government officials from Bong County were recently indicted on multiple charges of corruption, ranging from theft of property to fraud and criminal conspiracy by the Ministry of Justice.
Those listed in the indictment are former Bong County District #3 Representative Gerore Mulbah; former Representative Tokpah John Mulbah of District #1; Representative Edward Karfiah of District #5, Representative Josiah Marvin Cole of District #3 and Dr. John Flomo, former President of Bong County Technical College.
Others are former Bong County Superintendent Rennie Jackson, Project Specialist Thomas Cisco of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kenneh Yao Awadjie, former Assistant Chief Architect, Project Engineer, Project Implementation Unit, Bong County and Liberia China United Investment Group, among others.
The Individuals and company were indicted on five counts of violation of Public Procurement Concession Commission Act (PPCC), theft of property, fraud on the Internal Revenue of Liberia, criminal conspiracy and criminal facilitation.
Their charges are in relations to the construction of the Dolokellen Gboveh Community College, now Bong County Technical College (BCTC) of which alleged over US$4 million is said to have been squandered.
Mr. Armstrong told correspondents in Bong County that if Liberia should be on the path of battling corruption, there is a need to prosecute those who have been indicted so as to serve as deterrence for would – be violators of the PPCC Act.
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According to him, if the government of President George Manneh Weah should succeed, it needs not to take any corruption case lightly because it undermines every administration.
Mr. Armstrong indicates that no one is above the law, suggesting that those who have been indicted must prove their innocence before the court.
He believes that his call for the prosecution of the past and present officials is not a witch-hunt, but to ensure a balanced justice system.
“Why you should have people in position strangulating the poor people? That’s a total strangulation because if those officials are stealing monies that are intended for the College, that means that they are denying underprivileged children from going to school because they do not have finance to attend Cuttington University or other private Institution,” he concludes.By Joseph Titus Yekeryan in Bong—Edited by Winston W. Parley
