The corruption trial of four former senior officials of the Plan Parenthood Association of Liberia (PPAL) has opened at Criminal Court 'C' at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia.
The case concerns the controversial US$150,165 allegedly misapplied by Madam Miatta K.K. Cojolo, Executive Director; Ernree Bee Neeplo, former Program Manager; Ernest Vobah, former Finance and Administrative Manager; William Gibson, former HR Officer and Peter Collins, Vice Chairperson of PPAL's Board.
The defendant was indicted in 2022 by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) with multiple criminal offenses including violation of Procurement requirements, abuse of public office, theft and related charges with specific reference (Misapplication of Entrusted Property, Forgery, and Counterfeiting), Criminal Conspiracy), economic Sabotage, and illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money.
During the opening of the trial, last week, Madam Cojolo and her co-defendants flatly denied the charges against them, when the indictment was read in the court. The non-guilty plea now shifts the burden on the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the prosecutors of their case beyond a reasonable doubt to convict the accused.
However, the prosecutors allege in the discharge of their duties as officials of PPAL, they "knowingly conspired in organizing PEWETA Security Firm, with shares distributed amongst themselves, and thus hiring the same outside the requirements provided for in the PPCC Act, and paying to themselves the total of US$96,875.00 over the period 2013 to 2018".
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They also allege that Madam Ernree Bee Neeplo, in the discharge of her duties as former Program Manager of PPAL, "knowingly used her position to influence the hiring of J&D Catering Service owned by her mother (Josephine Harris), without adhering to PPCC requirements.
She, however, allegedly authorized the disbursement of US$2,800.00 to Madam Harris; as well as paying the amount of US$12,490.00 to her husband (Victor Neeplo) for the purchasing of ten (10) Laptops from Info-Tech Fastrack, without adhering to requirements provided for in the PPCC Act.
For Madam Neeplo's co-defendants, the prosecutors claim that they, in the discharge of their duties as officials of PPAL, also knowingly and purposely conspired in the withdrawal of US$38,800.00 from the BMZ project account under the pretext of setting up a Youth Center.
Unfortunately, according to the prosecutors, the defendants diverted the same towards the purchase of a vehicle (White Ford Everest) SUV with VIN: MNCLS4D10BW321364 in the name of PPAL; and for subsequently changing the title of said vehicle from the Institution (PPAL), formerly Family Planning Association, to the personal property of Miatta K.K. Cojolo.
The prosecutors have claimed that the decision to indict the defendants is based on a tip-off by civil society organizations.
If they are convicted, each of them could face five years in prison, although President Joseph Boakai has the power to free them with a presidential pardon.
