Africa-Press – Liberia. Barley a week after the United States Government sanctioned additional three top officials of the Government of Liberia for their alleged involvement in corruption, defeated Montserrado County electoral district#8 Representative Acarous Moses Gray has come in strong defense of the sanctioned officials, calling for thorough investigation.
“My take on this entire sanctions saga, I think the United States Government needed to have gone further to investigate some of these issues.
Imagine some of the characters mentioned on the sanction list, I know them personally, and I can vouch for them; they are people with good character”, Rep. Gray says.
He threw out the challenge on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, while visiting students of the Monrovia Demonstration School on Clay Street, Monrovia where he presented One Hundred Thousand Liberian Dollars (LRD100,000) to both students and the administration, including educational materials in identifying with the school during this festive season.
Recently, the U.S. Government sanctioned three senior officials of the Weah regime for corruption.
Those designated include Finance Minister Samuel Tweah, and Senators Albert T. Chie and Emmanuel Nuquay.
Earlier on 8 December 2023, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Monrovia Mayor and ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) secretary general Jefferson Koijee.
The U.S. had earlier sanctioned Margibi County Senator-elect Nathaniel McGill, River Cess County Senator-elect Bill Twehway, and former Solicitor General Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephus.
Also sanctioned are Nimba County Senator Prince Y. Johnson and defeated Grand Cape Mount Senator Varney G. Sherman.
But reacting to these sanctions, Rep. Gray says in terms of human rights abuse, to mention Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee under such category requires further investigation because “I know Koijee and I will never shy away from this.”
He frowns on the U.S. for not sanctioning individuals, who he says work with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), specifically former TRC Chair, Cllr. Jerome Verdier and ex-rebel general now evangelist, Joshua Milton Blayee CKA “Butt Naked.”
“I think those individuals who killed our people and who contributed to the mass destruction of innocent citizens, these are people that need to be sanctioned. To be frank with you, to find someone guilty without evidence, where does the law of investigation come in?”
He believes the sanctions are targeted at officials of the CDC-led government, questioning why didn’t the U.S. Secretary of State issue visa restrictions against individuals in the previous administration headed by former President Sirleaf.
He recalls that former Auditor General John Morlu declared the UP government under Madam Sirleaf three times corrupt, but America did not designate any official of that administration.
Commenting on his silence since the pronouncement of the election results, the outgoing District 8 lawmaker boasts of seeking the interest of the people and the country at large, during his twelve years in the legislature.
“This job belongs to the people; they decide when to give it to you and they decide when to take it away from you, so I’m gracious to the people of District 8 and the CDC, including President Weah for allowing me to serve”, he says.
Gray notes that henceforth, he now considers himself a member of the opposition and will never shy away from those stands he took while in government as member of the outgoing CDC-led administration.
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