Liberia: LRA Officials Accused of Absconding with Gov’t Vehicles Across Ivory Coast Borders, But Revenue Authority Denies Allegation - FrontPageAfrica

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MONROVIA – Reports reaching FrontPageAfrica allege that officials of government, with the help of some officers of the Liberia Revenue Authority have begun smuggling government vehicles to neighboring Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire to sell them.

 By Gerald C. Koinyeneh – gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

But the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) dismissed the allegations, saying none of its customs officers aided in smuggling a purported government vehicle into Côte d’Ivoire via the Loguatuo Border in Nimba County.

FPA gathered that on December 3, 2023, a vehicle onboard a truck heading to Cote d’Ivoire was recently intercepted at the Loguatuo border in Nimba County. Sources familiar with the interception told FPA that Henry Varney (LRA Chief Examiner), Mohammed Kaiweh (Deputy collector), and Agnes (Chief Assessor) were among the LRA officials who attempted smuggling the Land Cruiser belonging to the government of Liberia. These LRA officers, the report noted, refused the orders of the Border Patrol Detail Commander, Solomon Gborgboye, not to allow the alleged GOL Jeep to cross to Côte d’Ivoire, compromising the safety of the border.

Two separate footages which appeared to be recorded at the Loguatuo border show groups of people believed to be border security in a heated argument over the truck with a foreign plate number 3242HV01 attempting to cross the border. One group is seen stopping the truck from crossing, while the other is adamant for the truck to cross.

“Baseless and unfounded”

Responding to an FPA inquiry, the LRA said On December 3, 2023, an Ivorian truck returning from Monrovia to Cote d’Ivoire underwent inspection by a joint border team including Customs, Major Crime, Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Agriculture.

Contrary to the allegation, the LRA in the statement signed by D. Kaihenneh Sengbeh, Manager, Communication, Media and Public Affairs said the inspection uncovered tins of palm oil and a vehicle engine resembling that of the truck.

“There was no vehicle transported on the truck, rendering the claim of vehicle smuggling entirely baseless and unfounded. The LRA’s customs department is dedicated to revenue collection, trade facilitation, and safeguarding Liberia’s people, Sengbeh said in the statement.”

Looting of government’s assets: a recurring phenomenon?

The safeguarding of government’s assets during transition has become a difficult task for outgoing governments during transitional periods in post war Liberia.  Following President Weah concession, it was reported that some officials of the executive and legislative branches of government were absconding with government properties.

David Kolleh, the Assistant Minister for Technical Services at the Ministry of Information was accused by his boss Information Minister Ledgerhood Rennie of taking away office materials including furniture and electronic appliances from his office and ordered to return the items back. However, Kolleh, who is studying abroad, in a statement, denied taking away properties belonging to the government. He said all of the items taken from his office by his relatives upon his instruction were bought by him when he was appointed by President George Weah.

In 2018, President Weah constituted a special taskforce to repossess government vehicles after it was reported that some outgoing officials of the then Unity Party Government were stealing the cars.

LRA