One of the most controversially unresolved issues that the President Pro-Tempora of the Senate Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence is the question of whether she is willing to surrender her Secretary Nanborlor Singbeh to face criminal prosecution.
The Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), in 2019, indicted defendant Singbeh for allegedly opening two bogus accounts in the name of MHM Eko-Liberia, conspired with Karel Sochor, Ales Sramek, Peter Pesek, Jan Holaseh (Czech Republic nationals )and Gloria Caine by convincing two Czech investors, Martin Miloschewsky and Pavel Miloschewsky to transfer US$2,495,109 and US$102,000,to pay custom duties on equipment imported, employees salaries and other running cost.
The indictment notes that the total value of properties including cash and equipment stolen directly from the Czech nationals by the defendants is estimated at about US$5, 062, 419.10.
The Miloschewsky brothers were to hold 35 percent share each, with Singbeh holding the remaining 30 percent share in the proposed MHM Eko Liberia Limited, a rock crushing company that was expected to have been operating in Wella, Margibi County, the indictment said.
In June 2021, then Pro-Tempore Albert Chie rejected a communication from the Assistant Minister for Litigation at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), Counselor Wesseh Alphonsus Wesseh, to surrender to authorities of Criminal Court ‘C” and to face an indictment on criminal charges. By then, Senator Chie argument was that the ministry’s letter was contained a reputational error
Cllr. Wesseh’s communication addressed to Senate Pro-Tempore Chie then reads, “Senator Albert T. Chie, President Pro-Tempore and Honorable Members of the Honorable Liberian Senate (In session), The Honorable Liberian Senate, Capitol Hill, Monrovia, Liberia).”
However, Senator Chie’s argument was that Cllr. Wesseh repeated twice the word ‘Honorable’ in the communication, which he believes constitutes a major error to be introduced on the agenda for deliberation by the House of Senate.
Minister Wesseh by then ratified the error and resubmitted the corrected letter to the office of the Pro-Tempore.
The Senate procedure says that for a communication to be placed on the agenda, it must first be received by the Secretariat currently headed by Singbeh.
Singbeh, who is the secretary of the Senate and head of the Secretariat, upon receipt of the communication, will submit it to the office of the Pro-Tempore and Senator Chie will review the content and mandate the Secretariat to place it on the agenda for deliberation.
Wesseh’s letter said if Senator Chie and the Senate were to agree to grant the request, it would not allow Singbeh to influence the trial while serving the Government and people of the Republic of Liberia as Secretary of the Honorable Liberian Senate.
Wesseh informed Chie that Singbeh and several others including current and past public officials, were investigated by the Liberia Anti-corruption Commission (LACC) for economic sabotage and theft of property, after which they were jointly indicted by the Government of the Republic of Liberia for prosecution.
The letter, was received and signed for by Singbeh’s Deputy, Janneve Verdier Massaquoi, reminded Senator Chie that the matter is before Criminal Court ‘C’ for Montserrado County and has been scheduled to be tried during the May A.D. 2021 Term of Court after the conclusion of pre-trial disposition.
However, the letter was never introduced on the floor of the Senate for deliberation up to and including the publication of the story.
It is not clear whether Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence will now introduce the matter on the floor for deliberation during the February 2023 opening of the Criminal Court’C, and several other courts throughout the country.
It can be recalled that Magistrate Victoria Worlobah Duncan of the Kakata Magisterial Court in Margibi County issued an arrest order on Tuesday, September 10, 2019, where Singbeh and Sochor were accused of illegal sale of heavy-duty earth-moving equipment (caterpillars) and heavy-duty trucks worth about US$650,000.
Magistrate Duncan then instructed her court sheriff and some officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) to accompany the sheriff to arrest Singbeh, who had refused to honor the court’s numerous invitations to answer to the accusation.
Surprisingly, Senator Chie, according to Magistrate Duncan, prevented Singbeh’s arrest and only managed to write the Magistrate on the back of his call card with an excuse.
A Copy of Senator Chie’s written comment on the call card on September 12 reads, “Your Honor, Victoria Worlobah Duncan, I confirm that the Secretary of the Senate has been served the writ and will appear.”
