Monrovia — Amid growing concerns the National Security Agency (NSA) has been used to funnel money, FrontPageAfrica has obtained copies of checks suggesting questionable disbursements by the agency in 2023.
The checks reveal over a span of five weeks, Emmanuel Wilson, a single individual, withdrew a total of US$3.3 million from the NSA's Central Bank account. The first check, for US$1.5 million, was cashed on Thursday, August 10, 2023. The following day, Friday, August 11, Wilson cashed a check for US$300,000 at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), processed by Teller 54. On August 23, Wilson withdrew an additional US$500,000, followed by a final withdrawal of US$1 million on September 18, 2023.
These disbursements were made under the leadership of James Henric Pearson II, who served as NSA director from 2018 to 2024. All four checks were processed by Teller 54 at the CBL, stamped by both the NSA and CBL, and bore the same authorized signatures. The NSA did not respond to FPA inquiry.
Immune to Audit
The NSA, a national-level intelligence agency under the authority of the President of Liberia, is responsible for global monitoring, data collection, and counterintelligence within Liberian communications networks and information systems. Due to its clandestine operations, the NSA has long been perceived as the main government arm used to funnel money. The agency's actual budget for FY 2023 was US$9 million.
Despite these concerns, the NSA appears immune to audit. President Joseph Boakai, who has made the fight against corruption a top priority, directed the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to conduct a comprehensive audit of the Central Bank of Liberia, the NSA, and the Executive Protection Service (EPS) shortly after taking office. The audit was to cover the period between 2018 and 2023, corresponding to the six-year tenure of the Weah-led government. But as the GAC was about to conduct the audit, the President reportedly ordered the NSA should not be audited. Only the CBL and the EPS were audited by the GAC.
Trails of Corruption
Audits of the CBL and EPS have revealed trails of corruption and poor governance, increasing calls for broader audits of all government institutions. A recently released GAC audit of the CBL exposed serious financial irregularities, undermining financial integrity and accountability within one of Liberia's key institutions.
The report highlighted substantial irregularities in the disbursement of over US$700,000 to CBL staff members for legal and consultancy services. Funds designated for these expenses were disbursed under the guise of payments to external consultants and contractors, yet documentation proving proper use of these funds was lacking. Specifically, the audit noted that the CBL disbursed US$742,120 classified as legal expenditures and an additional US$90,000 for other services, but these payments were made to staff members instead of directly to service providers.
Just as in the case of Emmanuel Wilson at the NSA, the GAC report pointed to substantial payments made to individuals like E.H. Barclay and J.G. Innis at the CBL, raising serious questions about the legitimacy of these transactions. Payments to Barclay included US$50,000 on May 30, 2023, and US$55,000 on July 25, 2022, while Innis received US$437,000, including US$40,000 on July 31, 2023, and US$30,000 on February 10, 2021.
The lack of documentation proving the actual transfer of these funds or the specific services rendered raises serious concerns about the proper utilization and management of financial resources within the CBL. The practice of routing payments through staff members, rather than directly to service providers, suggests potential attempts to obscure the true nature of these transactions.
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Calls for Reform
The Central Bank of Liberia has stated that these payments were intended for staff to disburse to external consultants and contractors. However, the lack of evidence documenting these transactions raises doubts about whether the services were delivered and whether the expenditures were appropriate.
In light of these findings, the GAC recommends that each staff member listed in the report provide clear, verifiable evidence that the funds received were delivered to the intended service providers and that the services were rendered. Failure to produce such evidence should result in the staff members being held accountable and required to repay the funds. This measure is crucial for ensuring financial accountability and restoring public trust in the CBL's financial management practices.
