Monrovia — Renowned Liberian clergyman, Bishop Kortu Brown, has called on those indicted, including the former minister of Finance and Development Planning Samuel Tweah, for alleged acts of corruption and financial improprieties in audit reports released by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to make themselves available for investigation and subsequent prosecution.
Bishop Brown pointed out that it remains the responsibility of those accused in audit reports released to the public by anti-graft institutions to submit to court processes to clear their names.
He made these assertions in an exclusive interview with FrontPage Africa at his church's premises in Brewerville, outside Monrovia recently.
He used this medium to commend the move made by the former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, now Gbarpolu County Senator Nathaniel McGill, to avail himself to ongoing investigation linking him to alleged payroll padding when he served as aide to former President George Manneh Weah.
Like Senator McGill, Bishop Brown wants ex-Minister Tweah and others to face prosecution to establish whether or not the allegations levied against them are factual.
"Audit reports from the GAC on allegations against anyone for financial improprieties, the responsibility is on you (the accused) to go and clarify. This is part of the rule of law. People should go and exonerate themselves. Samuel Tweah, the former Finance Minister should go to the court to exonerate himself."
He, however, emphasized that peace cannot be sustained in the midst of flagrant disregard for the rule of law by current and former public officials.
"We cannot want the rule of law and then don't obey the rule of law. We cannot say we want peace and don't help promote peace."
Bishop Brown warned against the targeting of a particular group of people to face prosecution on allegations of corruption and other financial malfeasance.
He observed that though the Unity Party (UP) led-government's action to hold past public officials accountable does not amount to witch-hunt at this time, the process must not target officials from a particular regime.
He stressed that only the end results of the ongoing prosecution of former and current public officials accused of corruption would tell whether or not the Boakai-Koung administration is witch-hunting a particular group of people.
"These actions should not target a particular group; I think it should be open. Whatever the stature or limitation provides for, it should not target any one administration."
Audits conducted by Weah
Bishop Brown observed that many of the audit reports released by the GAC were conducted during the administration of former President George Manneh Weah's administration.
But despite this, former Finance Minister Tweah sees the process as a "witch-hunt" and vowed not to return to Liberia under the Boakai-Koung Administration. However, an Interpol red alert has been issued for him.
Bishop Brown noted that it is now clear and understandable that past public officials make themselves available to answer to these allegations of corruption because the audit was conducted under their government.
"The audit reports under examination are from George Weah's administration. We can only hope that the current government will be opened (in its investigation and prosecution)."
Use the law
He urged the government to use the law against indicted ex-public officials who have either absconded or remain out of the country and reneging to face investigation.
"The law knows how to bring them back. My appeal is for any Liberian who is accused of doing anything to show up to exonerate themselves. Samuel Tweah should show up and exonerate himself for whatever charges against him."
He cautioned former public officials against relying or hiding behind comments made by ex-president Weah against the move being taken by the UP led-administration to have them account for their stewardship.
Mr. Weah has criticized the move by the Boakai-Koung administration to prosecute his former officials, including close allies. He has also forwarded an official complaint to the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) on the matter.
But Bishop Brown believed that Mr. Weah does not have any legal authority to exonerate his former public officials who have been indicted for alleged acts of corruption and financial improprieties.
"Former President Weah is not the court; it's only his democratic right (to speak). He is a Political Leader who is entitled to his opinion or view, but he's not the court, GAC or LACC. If LACC calls you and former President Weah said you can't go there, it's (former) President Weah's opinion guaranteed under our constitution. He has the right to express his political views under freedom of expression."
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He maintained that the public would judge former and current public officials indicted for alleged acts of corruption if they failed to submit themselves to investigation.
Have strong evidences
He further underscored the need for the government to go to court with substantive evidence to prosecute and find guilty those who have been indicted for the commission of alleged acts of corruption and other financial malfeasance.
Bishop Brown stated that this convincing evidence would possibly lead to the incarceration of ex-corrupt public officials or the confiscation of their properties.
"You don't go to court on wishful thinking or because somebody says someone is corrupt. If we are serious about the fight against corruption, we have to put more time and (financial) resources into it."
He called on the government to hire lawyers with the requisite qualifications and experiences to plead cases of corruption against indicted individuals.
