Africa-Press – Liberia.
There are particles of dust in the air amidst claims and counterclaims in an “Economic Sabotage” case as to whether Assistant Justice Minister Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh actually solicited bribes for jurors to indict the defendants.
The defendants, in this case, include Senate Secretary J. Nanborlor Singbeh, Sr. and others with a foreign national with deep-link to current Justice Minister Musa Dean as the private prosecutor.
As if the claims and counterclaims were not enough, leaked audio in the possession of this paper which purports to be the voice of Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh soliciting payment of US200.00 dollars from the foreign national, Hans Armstrong in the same case to pay members of a Special Grand Jury. The audio dates back to February 2021.
The money was intended to facilitate the jurors to issue an indictment against Singbeh, Sr. and others in the MHM EKO Liberia Inc ongoing case.
Mr. Singbeh and Hans Armstrong who is backed by Justice Minister Musa Dean are locked up in a legal battle over the rightful ownership of two yellow machines (one caterpillar excavator with model 325 DNL valued at USD120, 000.00 and one Atlas Copco Jackhammer valued at USD 225, 000, 00 belonging to the MHM EKO Liberia Inc. The equipment in question is currently being rented by Arcelor Mittal Liberia.
Hans Armstrong, who is a longtime client of Justice Minister Musa Dean could also be heard on the tape pleading that the indictment is issued against Singbeh and others while promising to reach out to the jurors with cash rewards should the indictment be released and published in local dailies.
Mr. Armstrong, who also boasted of his relationship with Justice Minister Dean could also be heard saying, that he would not insult the integrity of the jurors because he sees them wearing US350 suits and dresses, and therefore he would ensure that they are satisfied once the indictment was out.
Assistant Justice Minister Wesses A. Wesseh acknowledged the said audio in an interview with this paper Monday, August 16, 2021 but insisted that the money was not meant to bribe jurors. Rather, he explained that during Special Grand Jury sittings it is the Ministry of Justice that pays for the jurors’ services and that the ministry did not have the total amount at the time to pay for their services.
He told the New Dawn that the actual amount the Ministry of Justice needed was US700 but that they were shy of 200.00 and therefore he had asked Hans Armstrong to complete the money by providing the remainder of the US700 which was the US200.00 being requested in the audio.
Cllr. Wesseh further explained that the amount involved in the case is more than US500, 000 and therefore if he needed a bribe he wouldn’t have requested 200.00.
But again if this was not a bribe as Cllr. Wesseh explained the additional offer made by Armstrong to jurors raises another eyebrow as to the intent of the money.
As a result of this leaked audio on February 17, 2021, Mr. Nanborlor Singbeh, Sr. wrote Chief Justice Francis Korkpor, complaining Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh exhibiting unethical behavior alleging solicitation of bribes for jurors which resulted in an action that did not only destroyed their hard-earned reputation but also left him with mental injury. The Chief Justice is yet to respond to this complaint.
But while a response to this complaint remains in limbo, a hearing is expected to kick off this morning at the Criminal Court based on a General Auditing Commission or GAC report in the same case.
The GAC report also emanates from a previous report compiled by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission accusing Singbeh and others of economic sabotage and fraud even though they did not testify before the LACC investigators as officials of this private company.
The Company MHM EKO Liberia Inc. was organized in May 2013 and registered as a legal entity in June 2013. Six months after its registration, Singbeh was joined by two foreign partners-Pavel Miloschewsky and Martin Miloschewsky. Singbeh serves as President and CEO before the current controversy ensued.
