The Supreme Court of Liberia has affirmed the verdict of the lower court convicting Lofa County Senator-elect, Brownie Samukai, and others to two years imprisonment or the restitution of US$1.4 million.
The ruling is poses serious embarrassment to Mr. Samukai who was in December 8 ,2020 elected as senator of Lofa as there is no law that stops an elected person taking office once his/her victory is affirmed.
“Such embarrassing verdict has the propensity to dampen the enthusiasm that has engulfed his victory sitting as a Senator”, one political pundit told Liberia Public Radio shortly after the verdict.
Mr. Samukai, Liberia’s longest serving Defense Minister along with Joseph F. Johnson, former Deputy Minister for Administration and J. Nyumah Dorkor, former Comptroller were all found guilty in March 2020 but took an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Yamie Gbeisay sentenced Samukai and his deputy to two years imprisonment but with a condition to restitute US$1.3 million over a one-year period.
A summary of the prosecution argument is that defendant Samukai and his co-defendants had no authority to use the AFL pension funds; that in fact said funds were private funds although they charged Samukai for using public funds; and that the defendants issued checks in their own names for personal benefits.
The Supreme Court is also expected to hear an appeal from the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) after both the National Elections Commission (NEC) hearing officer and the Board of Commissioners affirmed and reaffirmed, respectively, Mr. Samukai’s victory in the December 8 Special Senatorial election.
Mr. Samukai has on several occasions denied any wrongdoing and said the money cut from officers of the armed forces of Liberia while serving as defense Minister was meant for their retirement and not for personal use.
