Liberia: Presidential Aspirant Caught in Corruption Dragnet

press release

London — A Global Witness exposé released today has uncovered over US$950,000 in bribes and other suspicious payments by UK mining firm Sable Mining and its Liberian lawyer, Varney Sherman. Responding to Global Witness' findings, the government has pledged to investigate and hold those culpable to account.

The report, The Deceivers (1), shows how in 2010 Sable hired Varney Sherman, Liberia's best-connected lawyer and current Chairman of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's Unity Party, in an effort to secure one of Liberia's last large mining assets, the Wologizi iron ore concession in northern Liberia. Sherman told Sable that in order to obtain the contract the company must first get Liberia's concessions law changed by bribing senior officials, according to a source familiar with the discussions. The account is backed up by leaked emails and company documents seen by Global Witness. (2)

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