By Edward Kollie|Contributor
The former Chairman Assets Investigation Restitution and Recovery Team (AIRReT) Cllr. Author Tamba Johnson has made an embarrassing revolution accusing the Ministry of Justice of undermining the asset recovery team.
Cllr. Johnson said following scores of investigation and review of audit reports conducted by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) it was discovered that billions of United States dollars were stolen from the country with some officials of the Ministry of Justice indicted by some of the audits.
Cllr. Johnson resigned in March 2020, citing lack of political will to fight corruption in Liberia.
In his resignation, Cllr. Johnson stated: “I am so constrained to tender in my resignation from the position of Chairman of the Assets Investigation Restitution and Recovery Team (AIRReT) due to the fact that my anticipation and perception about the fight against corruption is not achieving its objectives.
I expected that there will be a “WILL” in the fight against corruption but this belief of mine had proven to be an illusion, and therefore, I cannot continue to risk my career and reputation.”
Cllr. Johnson’s Resignation
Cllr. Johnson in his resignation further disclosed that he was withdrawing from all government cases to include Republic of Liberia versus Brownie J. Samukai, Joseph Johnson, and Nyuma Dorkor which recently ended at the Supreme Court with the former Minister and others asked to restituted over $1.4 million 50% of which should be paid within six months or go to jail for 2 two years.
“I am willing to serve my country at any time but in my private capacity as a lawyer,” he stated in the resignation letter.
Speaking to scores journalists Monday March 29, 2021 in Monrovia Cllr. Johnson noted that Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean name was mentioned in six out of twelve oil blocks audit reports by the General Auditing Commission, which he believes, led to the Ministry undermining the asset recovery process.
‘$8billion missing in since 1970s’
He mentioned that the International Auditors and fraud Examiners experts hired from Grand Teton to help the recovery team felt uncomfortable reporting to the Ministry of Justice when its head Musa Dean was indicted in the some of the audit reports.
The criminal lawyer indicated that the team discovered that over $8 billion was stolen from the country going as far back as the presidency of William VS Tubman indicating that about $2 billion was going to be recovered in 6 months if the government was to provide the necessary support.
He explained that members of the team did not receive a cent from the government for almost nine months noting that his colleagues of benefiting from the government at their expense accused him.
Cllr. Johnson revealed that despite the many challenges, the team recovered about $500,000 (five hundred thousand United States dollars).
According to him, the team was gearing up to recover stolen monies and properties hidden abroad but blame the lack of the political will from leadership of the country for the failure of the team.
He noted that it was sadden that institutions including the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) and National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) could not provide the team with any document on grounds that its borders on National Security.
Cllr. Johnson recommended that President Weah issued an executive order appointing a special independent counsel comprising of people of esteem character who will report directly to the President instead of the Ministry of Justice
Cllr. Johnson stated: “I think the president needs to close his eyes and deal with corruption no matter who is involved”.
‘Fake PhD degree’
Reacting to recent developments on social media that he obtained his Doctorate degree from a fake online University, the Atlantic International University (AIU).
Cllr. Johnson said the accusation against him is politically motivated.
He explained without prove that he is convinced that those attacking him on social media were paid by politicians who are angry at him for pleading for Representative Jeremiah Kung in the ongoing election dispute case involving the Representative and former Superintendent Edith Gongloe Wreh sister of Liberia Bar Association President Cllr. Teewon Gongloe.
Cllr. Johnson also accused people he said may have been affected by his work at the Assets Investigation Restitution and Recovery Team of been behind the social media attack against him.
He explained that as a criminal lawyer, he will not attend a school that is fake nothing that AIU was accredited by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs in the US.
Cllr. Johnson said he enrolled at the Atlantic International University in 2014 and graduated with Magna cum laude, boasting of been academically strong and vowed that those fighting will not survive.
Recently former students activist Martin Kollie took to social denouncing Cllr. Johnson PhD.
Kollie asserted that Cllr. acquire his degree from a University that does not exist and urge him to not to mention it in his profile.
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