Patrick Moyor, Margibi Fellow
Stanley Cooper, a Canadian Liberian activist, posted on his Facebook account and claimed that Margibi County District #4 Representative Emmanuel O. Yarh received a bribe of US$ 1,000.00 to facilitate the release of a 40-ft container filled with scraps that was arrested by the Liberia National Police Kakata Detachment.
Cooper further stated that the intent of Representative Yarh to accept bribes to release impounded concession materials undermines the rules of law. Thus, claiming that the act was done for personal interest and not love for the people.
Who Owns The Container And Why Was It Arrested?
The 40-ft container is owned by Mr. Mohammed Keita, a businessman trading with China Union Concession Company. It was arrested on the order of Anthony Sims, Bong Mines City Mayor, due to the company's failure to equally distribute benefits to the two affected counties, Margibi and Bong Counties.
What was the US$ 1,000 bribe for?
According to Stanley, the money was intended for Representative Yarh to use his legislative influence to allow the smooth passage of the scrap container.
What did Representative Yarh's office say about the claim?
Responding to the claim via Facebook, Mohammed Kemokai, political officer in the offices of Representative Yarh, alluded to the fact that a US$ 1000 bribe was brought to the lawmaker by his Chief of Office Staff (COS), Levi Page.
Kemokai clarified that the said amount was given to the COS in order to help convince Yarh to aid in talking to the police to release the container.
He stated that the money was ordered returned to its owner, Keita, and that Yarh did not engage in any negotiation business with the container owner.
Kemokai believes that Yarh intends to seek the interest of the people he serves and not to engage in "black deeds."
Page also acknowledged receipt of the money but argued that it was the container owner who came running after him to help talk with Representative Yarh to free the container.
What did Keita say about the controversy?
According to Keita, he engaged Page to convince Yarh to persuade officers to release his container, but it didn't go as planned. "The US$ 1000 would be his (Yarh's) kickbacks."
However, said amount was refunded according to Keita, and that the container was sent back to Bong Mines on the order of Bong Mines City Mayor Sims.
What is China's union?
China Union is a British-Indian firm operating in Bong and portions of Margibi counties. It took over Bong Mines in 2008 with a US$ 2.6-billion investment plan. From the official statement released by the political officer of Representative Yarh with documentary evidence and the official response from Keita, owner of the container, we can rightly say that Representative Yarh did not engage in a transaction with Keita; instead, his chief of office staff did.
We can also confirm that a US$ 1000 bribe was expected to be taken by Representative Yarh but was also rejected and later refunded to its owner.
Conclusion: Partly true, we can confirm that Cooper's claim of a US$ 1000 bribe is correct but representative Yarh did not receive the amount.
