Liberia: NOCAL's U.S. Hunts Ellen

Amidst the questionably robust wave of Justice 'Tsunami' unleashed against some indictees for a reported ceremonial act committed, Liberians are angrily asking why is former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf freely cruising and moving around in the country and beaming in a smile. According to many, when she knowingly shying away from the National Oil Company of Liberia's (NOCAL's) stolen US$30 million by her son Robert A. Sirleaf while serving as Pro bono chairman of NOCAL. She openly took responsibility for the theft.

With the storm of justice reflecting to be uncompromising, pundits over the weekend told this medium that the current crusading war of justice crushing and smashing all criminal activities, it is pathetically disturbing to see Ellen not thinking of making good out of her statement of taking responsibility of the theft of her son; money that belongs to the taxpayers.

She sees others go to court and subsequently to jail for acts of criminality, while the NOCAL US$30 million remains deposited on an isolated 'island' where she knows but she remains a free person.

The amount was 'missing' when her son was at the top.

But Cllr. Taiwan Gongloe, former president of the Liberia National Bar Association said, the statement was political. "If this government was serious to fight corruption, they should go after those who were there at NOCAL. Corruption is very high and leaders should live by example," he told this paper late Thursday.

Some pundits pointed out that while it is true that Ellen is on record for rejecting a senatorial seat she won on the Liberia Action Party's Ticket because she did not want to mingle with corrupt elements, she was not tough on NOCAL. Due to what she called at the time clamping down on corruption, she jailed the interim president Charles Gydue Bryant on corruption charges when she became, an elected president.

According to them, it was unfortunate that she would downplay the NOCAL's stolen money she took the responsibility of and keeps overlooking that Liberia is a country of law and not men.

"We think that the law should take the course," Alexander Tugbeh, a political commentator told this paper.

"There is no need to allow her to go free from here. She needs to be questioned," he added.

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