A leaked investigative report from the University of Liberia has unveiled a serious scandal involving Liberia's Commerce Inspector General, D. Dorr Cooper.
The document, which has been circulating in both academic and government circles, calls for Cooper's prosecution by the Ministry of Justice over allegations of academic fraud.
The report accuses Cooper of falsely claiming a degree from the university and orchestrating a web of deceit to cover up his lack of legitimate academic credentials.
The investigation into Cooper's academic background was triggered when senior officials at the university raised concerns about his sudden and questionable appearance on the institution's graduation list.
According to the leaked report, Cooper's name was fraudulently added to the university's records, allowing him to falsely assert he was a graduate of the A. Romeo Horton College of Business and Public Administration, a prestigious program within the University of Liberia.
The scandal came to light in September 2024, when Dr. Agnes Reeves-Taylor, Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Liberia, received a tip-off that Cooper was unlawfully listed among the graduates. Cooper was reportedly claiming to have completed a senior-level course in 2017, despite never having earned the credits necessary to graduate.
Dr. Taylor initiated a formal investigation, appointing a five-member committee, led by Dr. S. Morris Cooper, to delve into the matter. The findings of this investigation were damning.
The committee confirmed that Cooper had never legitimately earned a degree from the university, and his academic claims were fraudulent. His name was removed from the graduation list following the committee's initial review.
However, the investigation didn't stop there. The university committee discovered that Cooper's fraudulent inclusion on the graduation list was the result of deeper manipulation of university records, facilitated by a former employee. This, the report says, points to a broader problem of systemic corruption within the University of Liberia's administrative processes.
The leaked report details how, in 2015, Cooper's name was added to the university's student records by a former employee, Mr. Kollie T. Kamara, who had access to sensitive information. Kamara allegedly altered Cooper's academic records in exchange for undisclosed benefits.
Cooper's name was inserted into the list of legitimate students, giving the appearance that he had successfully completed the necessary coursework for a degree.
By 2017, Cooper began falsely claiming that he had completed a senior-level course. He allegedly failed this course but managed to manipulate the system to have it recorded as a pass. The report refers to this manipulation as a "blatant and deliberate act of fraud."
The fraudulent activity didn't stop at tampering with grades. According to the report, Cooper's student identification number was also altered by a university IT employee, Mr. Jonathan Kangar.
This change allowed Cooper to take on the identity of another legitimate student, Niome Nowah Tyler, and fraudulently adopt her academic records. The manipulation effectively erased Cooper's previous failures and replaced them with a false academic history.
The leaked document reveals that several university officials were either complicit in the fraud or failed to stop it, despite noticing irregularities. A critical part of the investigation focused on Mr. Thurston Lewis, a Clearing Officer, who initially raised concerns about Cooper's inclusion on the graduation list. Despite his reservations, Lewis was reportedly pressured by Dr. Agnes Reeves-Taylor to clear Cooper for graduation.
"There was a clear and disturbing pattern of administrative pressure," the report states, referring to Lewis' claims that he was instructed to ignore Cooper's lack of qualifications and to proceed with clearing him for graduation. The report accuses Dr. Taylor of exercising undue influence over the process, enabling Cooper's fraudulent claims to go unchallenged.
Further complicity was identified in the actions of Mr. Arthur B. Sharpe, another university official, who facilitated Cooper's clearance by introducing him to the dean responsible for graduation approvals. The committee's findings indicate that Sharpe and others violated university policies in allowing Cooper's fraudulent academic record to stand.
As a result of the investigation, the University of Liberia's investigative committee has strongly recommended that D. Dorr Cooper be prosecuted for academic fraud.
The report, now circulating widely, urges the Ministry of Justice to take swift action against Cooper and others involved in the scandal. It emphasizes that academic fraud is not just a crime against the university, but a violation of public trust, especially given Cooper's high-profile position in government.
"The fraudulent actions of Mr. Cooper and those complicit in his deceit undermine the credibility of our nation's educational institutions and the public trust in government officials," the leaked report states. "This case demands full prosecution under the law."
In addition to calling for Cooper's prosecution, the report also recommends disciplinary action against several university officials implicated in the scandal.
Among them are Mrs. Mercy W. Koquoi and Mr. Lawrence F. Seitua, who were both found to have played roles in facilitating Cooper's fraudulent academic claims. The committee has suggested that they face three-month suspensions without pay.
The leaked report goes beyond individual culpability and calls for broad institutional reforms at the University of Liberia to prevent future incidents of academic fraud.
It recommends the establishment of a more robust system of checks and balances within the university's administrative departments. Among the key recommendations are the creation of detailed student ledgers to track academic progress and the requirement for graduation applicant rosters to be reviewed by department heads before being finalized.
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"There must be a fundamental overhaul of the university's record-keeping and graduation clearance processes," the report urges. "The integrity of the institution depends on these reforms to prevent future fraud."
The scandal has sent ripples throughout Liberia's academic and governmental circles, with many calling for greater scrutiny of public officials' academic credentials. Public trust in government institutions is already fragile, and this revelation threatens to further erode confidence in the country's leadership.
The Cooper scandal has reignited national discussions about academic integrity and the consequences of fraudulent credentials among high-ranking government officials. Many have expressed concern that if Cooper was able to fabricate his academic background so easily, others in similar positions may also have misrepresented their qualifications.
Immediately upon receiving the leaked document, a call was placed to the spokesperson for the University of Liberia, Cllr. Norris Tweh, but his contact number did not ring after several attempts.
However, another staff member by the name of Thomas Karyah told our reporter that although he is aware of the plenary discussions about the report, he wanted to verify with Cllr. Tweh if all the listed items in the report are still accurate. He promised to get back to this paper but was unable to do so by press time.
