-Koung laments ploy to mess with his career
Opposition vice presidential hopeful and Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Koung has rejected claims here that he sells human parts to acquire sudden wealth and boost his political career.
The Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR) political leader is standing as running mate to Liberia's main opposition leader Amb. Joseph Nyumah Boakai, leader of the former ruling Unity Party (UP).
Briefing journalists over the weekend in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, Senator Koung said he knows nothing about selling human parts or abortion.
Controversial talk show host Henry Costa accused Mr. Koung of being a ritualist. The claim has since been trending.
Mr. Costa is said to have alleged that Mr. Koung has been harvesting, extracting, exporting, and selling human parts abroad to boost his political career.
However, Mr. Koung said for peace sake, he has accepted Costa's apologies regarding the human parts rumors.
"I'm a leader, if you are a leader the people will throw mud on you, they will say all types of things to you, but you just got [to] remain firm and govern them well, despite all the negatives," said Koung.
But Koung stated that the allegation was meant to damage his political career and to put a halt to being named as Boakai's running mate in the pending October 10 presidential and legislative elections.
"I don't sell human parts, I know nothing about it," said Mr. Koung.
"I have never paid for abortion before, I got eleven children and sent all of them to school," Koung continued.
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According to him, others who are not his children also live with him.
"I raise them up like my own. To say if a girl gets pregnant for me, and I say go take off the belly [pregnancy], no. It has never happened in my entire life. This is just another means to nasty my career," Senator Koung intoned.
He stressed that the rumors against him are false and misleading.
Senator Koung explained that he values the life of every child, and that's why he is empowering children through his little wealth.
"I believe every child is important and has the right to live. If they're saying I am a human part seller, how do I transport it to America or let them show the company or individual that is buying the parts," Koung challenged his accusers.
Senator Koung reaffirmed the Unity Party's commitments to deliver the Liberian people from the hands of what he called the worst leadership under President George Manneh Weah's led government.
