In a dramatic public appearance that has sparked national debate, the suspended Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), Rostalyn Suakoko Dennis, has broken her silence, claiming that her suspension is politically motivated and part of a broader campaign of selective justice under the Unity Party-led government.
Speaking during a Facebook livestream last week, Dennis accused the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai of misusing public funds under the guise of development and empowerment--allegations that, if true, could significantly undermine the government's anti-corruption platform.
"I saw my suspension on social media. It was signed by the President, but I was never called by any Board of Directors. I was never subjected to an investigation panel. So where is the due process?" Dennis asked.
Dennis is currently under investigation by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) for allegedly misappropriating NOCAL's Corporate Social Responsibility Fund (CSRF). Among the allegations is the purchase of a 2024 MGX8 SUV from Cactus Motors valued at US$75,000, along with other questionable financial transactions.
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However, Dennis insists the real reason for her suspension has little to do with violations of public trust--and everything to do with politics.
"My suspension is not legal. It's political," she said bluntly. "I was targeted. This is not about accountability; it's about control and silencing people who won't play along."
In a particularly damning allegation, Dennis claimed that NOCAL disbursed millions of Liberian dollars to counties directly tied to Unity Party activities and presidential visits--raising serious questions about whether public resources were diverted for partisan purposes.
"We sent L$2 million to Lofa County when the president was going there for a women's empowerment program," she revealed. "We sent another L$2 million to Margibi County for the Unity Party Women's Organization, and L$1 million to Grand Cape Mount County. These were not personal decisions; they were approved within the system."
She questioned the apparent double standard in how transactions are being judged under her tenure.
"How is it questionable to give a Liberian family US$2,000 to seek foreign opportunities, but not questionable to use L$2 million for a political visit?" she asked. "Why am I being singled out?"
Dennis said she has fully cooperated with the LACC's ongoing investigation, submitting all required documents and referencing internal departments responsible for the transactions in question.
"I went to the LACC confidentially. I submitted documents. I named the internal departments involved. I waited in March, I waited in April, and now we are half-way through May. It's mentally exhausting," she said.
"I just want the LACC to fast-track my report. I need peace of mind. I am an accused, yes--but I also have rights. If their investigation shows I am guilty, then let the law take its course. But if I am not, then relieve me from this cloud of suspicion."
Dennis also defended the company's internal financial procedures, stressing that no major financial transaction occurs without multiple levels of scrutiny.
"There are layers of approval at NOCAL. No transaction reaches my desk without passing through compliance and finance. It's not a one-woman show," she explained. "Yes, I authorized transactions, but within a framework that includes checks and balances."
In a more reflective moment, Dennis criticized the culture of political expediency in Liberia, suggesting that many public officials are used and discarded by the same system that elevates them.
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"In this country, people will misinterpret your words or twist them to suit their agenda. Some people use you to get connected. Others use you to get to power. And when they do, they discard you like you never existed," she said.
Her remarks have resonated with many in the public who have expressed growing concerns about the apparent "selective justice" being applied to corruption cases--an uneven pursuit of accountability that targets political outsiders while shielding insiders.
With no formal charges yet filed and the LACC still silent on the timeline of its probe, Dennis remains in a state of suspension--figuratively and literally.
"I'm not running from justice. I'm standing up for truth. But I will not be used as a scapegoat to cover up deeper issues," she concluded.
