-LACC reveals, exonerates Kla Martin as probe continues
By Jerromie S. Walters
Cllr. Alexandria Kormah Zoe, the current Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), has disclosed that an internal probe conducted by the LACC surrounding the leaked asset declaration of former President George Weah revealed the involvement of the entity’s (LACC) former Chairperson, Cllr. James Verdier.
Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf appointed Cllr. James N. Verdier, Jr., as Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission. His appointment took effect on February 24, 2014. He replaced Cllr. Frances Johnson-Allison.
Cllr. Alexandria Kormah Zoe made the revelation when she appeared before the plenary of the House of Representatives of the 55th Legislature on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. “Upon receipt of the information from the Honorable House, we immediately conducted an investigation. Our investigation, first and foremost, wasn’t guided by the information that is out there because we are not privy to the asset declaration that is out there for us to be able to authenticate it. However, we called on the asset declaration officers currently seated at the LACC, and it was established that indeed, there was an issue of leakage of asset declaration some two to three years ago. Involving the former chairperson. Not Commissioner Martin, but Commissioner Verdier,” she told the lawmakers.
Furthermore, she said the investigation revealed that the former Chairperson (Cllr. Verdier) requested the asset declaration for five former government officials in his possession. Being specific with those whose asset declarations were requested by the former LACC boss, Cllr. Zoe mentioned former President George Weah, former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor, former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel F. McGill, former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, and former Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson T. Koijee.
It was made known by the current LACC boss that Cllr. James Verdier requested the various ex-officials’ asset declarations on February 18, 2019, for verification purposes. However, it came to her attention in September 2023, following an assessment of the entity after she took over as chairperson.
“The investigation further revealed, from the trade of emails between the former chairperson and the asset declaration officers, that they were released for asset verification.” She acknowledged that it is forbidden to release the asset declaration of those that submitted it to the LACC, except when mandated or authorized by the court,” she narrated.
In his deliberation while testifying before the House, Cllr. Edwin Kla-Martin, the immediate past Chairperson of the LACC, emphasized that he has absolutely no idea about the former president’s asset declaration. “I have no idea, as the content of the letter has vindicated me. Cllr. Edwin Kla-Martin, whom many accused earlier of being the mastermind behind the leakage of the former President’s asset declaration, was exonerated by the House following Cllr. Zoe’s testimony.
Meanwhile, the House forwarded the matter to its committees on Judiciary and Good Governance, following a motion from Maryland County Representative Anthony Williams. The LACC will work with the joint committee to ensure an extensive investigation into the matter and a report in two weeks.
On Tuesday, April 9, 2024, the Plenary of the House of Representatives summoned former Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) boss and Chairman of the Assets Recovery Team, Kla Martin, and the current LACC commissioners to appear next week Tuesday to explain the actual story regarding the former President George Weah asset declaration.
The House’s Plenary took the decision during the 3rd day sitting of the 1st extraordinary session of the 55th Legislature of the Honorable House of Representatives following the reading of a communication from Montserrado County District #9 Representative Frank Saah Foko.
The Montserrado County lawmaker stressed that, while it is true that the exercise is good, the LACC Act of 2022 is guided by confidentiality while necessitating accuracy and compliance with legal standards.
He told his colleagues that asset declarations in no way constrain individuals from publishing their assets; as such, Pres. Weah opted not to publish, as did Pres. Joseph N. Boakai.
According to him, the law says one can declare but doesn’t force anyone to publish except by doing so of their own volition. “Hon. Speaker and colleagues, it will interest you to note that Cllr. Kla Martin, the former LACC boss who was removed after a new Act came into force on March 21, 2021, told media outlets he had no record of former President George Weah filing for assets. This was fact-tracked to be false and misleading, as GAC confirmed the President declared his assets”.
Representative Foko revealed that since this confirmation and Martin’s subsequent court appeals plus his appointment to the Asset Recovery Team as Head, WEAH’s asset declaration form is now all in the public space and on various platforms. “I seek this honorable body to invite Cllr. Martin and the entire team at LACC to help furnish this body with how the former President’s Asset Declaration form leaked to the public, breaching the confidentiality clause of the LACC.”
