Amid the imposition of sanctions on Liberian Government officials by the United States Government’s Department of the Treasury, through the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for human rights abuses and corruption, latest information gathered by the GNN-Liberia has revealed that targeted media practitioners in this process are no exception due to their unprofessional role played over the years as journalists.
According to GNN Liberia source abroad, many of these Liberian media practitioners allegedly have what is been considered as a very close ties with many of those who have been sanctioned by the United States Government are said to be under high consideration for the next round of sanctions, the source noted.
It is not however cleared as to which one of the media practitioners allegedly accused of having close contact with designated Liberian government officials who have been sanctioned by the United States Government’s Department of the Treasury, Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
This round of sanctions comes on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day and the opening of the Conference of States Parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption on December 11, 2023. The United States said they are taking the following actions to promote accountability for corrupt actors around the world, including Liberia.
Last Friday, December 8th, the US Gov’t also placed similar sanctions on the Mayor of the City of Monrovia, Jefferson Tamba Koijee, who is also the Secretary General of the outgoing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
The Treasury Department said that Mayor Koijee has a reputation for stoking violence and has a powerful grip on Monrovia’s youth. “He controls paramilitary-style organizations associated with the CDC, which allegedly recruits former combatants and recently released prisoners. OFAC has reason to believe that Koijee has instructed these organizations to violently disrupt demonstrations conducted by government critics or political opposition. Koijee and his supporters have been involved in violence in connection with: an opposition rally in July 2022, students attending a memorial service for former Liberian President Amos Sawyer in March 2022, an anti-rape protest in August 2020, a student graduation ceremony in December 2019, and an opposition rally in November 2018. Koijee has also engaged in corrupt acts, including bribery and misappropriation of state assets for use by private political movements and pressuring anti-corruption investigators to halt corruption investigations.”
Announcing Monday’s sanctions against the three men, the US Gov’t said, “Pursuant to Section 7031(c), the United States is publicly designating Tweah, Chie, and Nuquay, for their involvement in significant corruption by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity. As part of this action, their immediate family members are also designated, including their spouses Delecia Berry Tweah, Abigail Chie, and Ruthtoria Brown Nuquay, and Tweah and Nuquay’s minor children.
