The Criminal Court 'C' has scheduled next Monday, July 15, to hear arguments and a jury verdict in a US$150,165 corruption case brought against several former employees of the Plan Parenthood Association of Liberia (PPAL) formally Family Planning Association.
The court on Thursday, July 10, issued the hearing and judgment notice.
The government, through the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), indicted 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, Board Vice Chairperson of the PPAL's board for allegedly misapplying the monies.
The money was a part of the UNFPA project that was being implemented by the PPAL.
However, the defendants denied the allegations when they were first arraigned before the court, which put the LACC in a difficult situation to produce evidence to convict the accused.
A guilty verdict on Monday, will see the defendants spending five of their years behind bars, preferably at the Monrovia Central Prison, and they will be requested to restitute the monies.
But, that will happen anytime soon, because the defendants have the responsibility to appeal the judgment before the Supreme Court, if it were to go against them.
Moreover, the Court cannot enforce any decision on Monday, against the defendants because they are under a criminal appearance bond, and it is only the Supreme Court can authorized their imprisonment
The defendants was indicted in 2022 with multiple criminal offences 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 economic sabotage.
The indictment alleged that
on October 21, 2024, LACC received a letter of complaint from the Advocacy and Legal Advice Center (ALAC) of the Center of Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL).
"The complaint alleged Misapplication of Public funds and unethical conducts on the part of some current and former staff and honorary members of the PPAL, and therefore requested the Commission to investigate the same" the court documents claim.
Against the complaint, the PPAL hired an audit firm, Parker and Company LLC, on February 23, 202, to conduct a forensic audit, covering the activities of the period between 2013 to 20218.
It was the forensic audit, the Court record alleges revealed abuse of power, conflict of interest, wrongful procurement procedures and off-budget spending among others.
LACC initiated an investigation and realized that on November 22, 2013, thereabout at PPAL headquarters in the city of Monrovia, madam Cojolo, the former Executive Director, Neeplo, former Program Manager, Vobah, former Finance and Administrative Manager, Gibson, former HR Officer, and Collins, board vice chairman, as seen from the article of incorporation, intentionally and criminally established the PEWETA security company, thus having Kadiyatu Sheriff, Victoria Gibson and Syma Aaron Diawon as incorporators.
The LACC investigation further established that aside J. Olionel Roberts and Syma Aaron Diawon, who hold 5% shares each; the within named defendants who were found to be beneficial owners of PEWETA security company and criminally used the names of relatives as purported shareholders.
According to LACC report, madam Cojolo former Executive Director, admitted that Kadiyatu Sheriff is her niece who represented her interest with the firm, as for, defendants Ernest Vobah, Williams Gibson and Peter Collins, they admitted that Rebecca Vobah, Victoria Gibson and Leona Collins were their respective spouses but denied knowing of how their names appeared in the article of incorporation of PEWETA security company.
Without regards to Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC), procedures, PPAL on September 1, 2024, the defendants entered into contract with PEWETA security Inc.which was two months prior to legally establishing the first.
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According to the Prosecution, the purpose of said bogus contract was to provide Guard services at PPAL's main headquarters on 18th street, sinkor and two suo-offices in Kakata, Margibi and Gbarnga, Bong Counties, including the residence of its Executive Director madam Cojolo, that the contract had a twelve month value of Thirty-seven Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$37, 500.00) which was renewed annually and continued up to 2018.
The defendants conspired and collected to have caused the management of PPAL to pay the total amount of Ninety-Six Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy Five United States Dollars (US$96,875.00) to PEWETA security company they were beneficial owners, representing the total value of its security guard service contract for the herein stated period.
The theft and illegal disbursement of expenditure of public money by the defendants amount to Economic Sabotage, according to the indictment.
