Five former officials of the Plan Parenthood Association of Liberia have been found guilty of stealing Ninety-Six Thousand Eight Hundred Seventy- Five United States Dollars (US$96,875.00) from the Association.
Trial jurors at criminal court "C" on Monday, July 15, 2024, brought down a unanimous guilty verdict against Madam Miatta K.K. Cojolo, former Executive, Ernree Bee Neeplo, former Program Manager; Ernest Vobah, former Finance and Administrative Manager; William Gibson, former Human Resource Manager, and Peter Collins, Vice Chairperson of the Board.
According to the grand jury, the defendants were indicted for economic sabotage, theft, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money, misapplication of entrusted property, speculation or wagering on official action or information, and criminal conspiracy.
It may be recalled that on October 21, 2021, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) received a letter of complaint from the advocacy and legal advice center of the Center of Transparency and Accountability in Liberia.
The complaint alleged misapplication of public funds and unethical conduct by some current and former staff and honorary members of the Plan Parenthood Association of Liberia.
The LACC also informed the court that the board of the National Executive Committee of PPAL constituted a steering committee to probe the audit report, and said committee subsequently affirmed the audit findings in its October 8, 2021 memorandum.
The funds in question were a part of a UNFPA project that PPAL was implementing.
During trial, the defendants denied every allegation levied against them, at which they were being arraigned in open court, to answer whether or not they were involved with the crimes as charged.
However, following Monday's guilty verdict, the court has written to probation officers of the Ministry of Justice to conduct an investigation into the convicts' character and report back within one week for the sentencing hearing.
After the report, Presiding Judge Kenndy Peabody will sentence the defendants at the Monrovia Central Prison, and they will be requested to restitute the money.
Against the complaint, the PPAL hired an audit firm, Parker and Company LLC, on February 23 to conduct a forensic audit covering 2013 to 20218.
The court's record says the forensic audit revealed abuse of power, conflict of interest, wrongful procurement procedures, and off-budget spending, among other things.
The LACC initiated an investigation and realized that on November 22, 2013, thereabout at PPAL headquarters in the city of Monrovia, Madam Cojolo, former Executive Director; Neeplo, former Program Manager; Vobah, former Finance and Administrative Manager; Gibson, former HR Officer, and Collins, board vice chairman, as reflected on 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 from 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, criminally used relatives' names as purported shareholders.
According to the LACC report, Madam Cojolo, former Executive Director, admitted that Kadiyatu Sheriff is her niece, who represented her interests 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 how their names appeared in the Articles of Incorporation of PEWETA security company.
Without regard to Public Procurement and Concession Commission (PPCC) procedures, PPAL on September 1, 2024, and the convicts entered into a contract with PEWETA Security Inc. two months before legally establishing the security firm.
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According to the Prosecution, the purpose of the bogus contract was to provide guard services at PPAL's main headquarters on 18th Street, Sinkor in Monrovia, and two sub-offices in Kakata, Margibi, and Gbarnga, Bong Counties, including the residence of its Executive Director, Madam Cojolo.
The contract had a twelve-month value of Thirty-seven Thousand Five Hundred United States Dollars (US$37 500.00) and was renewed annually until 2018.
The convicts conspired and 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, which they were beneficial owners, representing the total value of its security guard service contract for the herein stated period.
Plan Parenthood Association of Liberia is the national body of Plan Parenthood International that promotes contraceptives for proper family planning. Editing by Jonathan Browne
