President George Weah’s nominee for the position of Deputy Minister of Defense for Operations, Tarplah Z. Davis was reportedly arrested in 2012 in Tennessee, Montgomery County in the United States for what the report says ‘Domestic Assault’ Liberia: Deputy Defense Minister Nominee Once Arrested in US For “Domestic Assault.”
According to AfricanStar Online, President Weah’s nominee is an ex-service man of the U.S. military, he was enlisted in August, 2009 and ended his service in April, 2019. His immigration status in the U.S. is unknown but he did swear an Oath of Enlistment to the U.S. Military when he joined.
A diplomatic source told African Star that the Senate will need to do an exhaustive investigation to ascertain the appropriateness and qualifications of Mr. Davis.
In an international investigation undertaken to ascertain Mr. Davis’ qualifications for such senior and sensitive position in the Liberian Government, African Star obtained publicly sourced information on his background while he was a resident of the U.S.
Following issuance of a Warrant # 112009403 by the State of Tennessee, Mr. Davis was arrested on March 19, 2019 by Montgomery County Sheriff Deputies and charged with Domestic Assault. It is unclear who the victim was what the actual circumstances were in the case.
A bond amount of $500 was paid for the release of Mr. Davis. The Clerk’s Office at the Montgomery County court house on Tuesday confirmed the arrest and disclosed that the case was dismissed on August 31, 2012.
African Star tried three times to contact Mr. Davis for comment and clarification on the 2012 incident but without a response.
It can be recalled that another appointee at the country’s Central Bank one Hamed Sifonic formerly known as Sidiki Fofana fraudulently claimed that he obtained a professional degree from the online based University of Phoenix. His appointment as Executive Director at the Central Bank would have afforded him access to highly sensitive and strategic information. Mr. Sifonic did not attend the University nor did he graduate with any professional degree. The Human Resources Department at the bank, unsatisfied with the professional qualifications of candidate Sifonic, who is a ruling party operative, quietly bounced him in favor of a more qualified individual Mr. Jay Gbleh-bo Brown.
In a threatening social media post which has been making the rounds in several Liberian groups, the Defense Ministry nominee who appeared to be angry in the video, railed against talk show host Henry Costa and government critics, saying, “…let him come alone and face the full weight of the law. Government says they’re preparing indictment. We take them seriously and I want believe…I would hope that that indictment will not be revealed until they see him in person. When they see him in person, they grab him and they unveil the indictment and then now we can move forward with the legal ramifications surrounding the indictment. That is my advice to this issue and I am saying, with every passion, …with every passion that I, Zoely Zoe or Tarplah Z. Davis will never, ever sit down in this America when Henry Cost and the likes, who are thinking about covertly overthrowing the Government of Liberia, thinking about looking the resources of our country…and when they carry their wicked plan. I will not sit in this America and witness my country in chaos. I will defend my property, I will defend my Government and people, I will defend family. I will do everything possible to ensure that those people who have their devilish intention of trying to subvert the Constitution…their plans are reverted and that the Constitution will take over. I will never, ever accept any undemocratic removal of this President if it cause me to risk my life, I will do it…”
The appointment of Mr. Davis has stirred up controversy over his open threats to critics of the Weah Government. He is expected to face confirmation hearing by Senators.
Supporters of the current Liberian Administration are applauding the nomination of Mr. Davis while critics say the social media utterances and public display of threats are troubling in the country which remains divided along political lines.
State house, the Executive Mansion, through the Deputy Press Officer Mr. Smith Toby, has defended the appointment of Mr. Davis, saying President Weah is fulfilling his Constitutional duty and that the nomination will not be withdrawn to placate critics.
In a social media presentation on Tuesday, Mr. Toby justified that the threatening statement of nominee Mr. Davis to “kill” was made while he was a private citizen and before he was nominated by President Weah.
It remains to be seen if the circumstances surrounding the domestic assault arrest and qualifications of Mr. Davis will be exhaustively explored by Liberian Senators to allow for his full confirmation.
Here is the copy of the charge sheet
Source: African Star Online
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