The House of Representatives probe into accusation of budget tempering represents a deliberate cover-up of organized crime involving high-ranking members of the Legislature, a civil society group has charged.
Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND), a prominent accountability group in Liberia rejected and condemned the recent report from the House’s special committee, which faulty staff in the secretariat for facilitating the budget alteration.
The committee, chaired by Hon. Robert Flomo Womba, has been accused of ignoring irrefutable evidence within its own report that directly implicates lawmakers in this criminal act.
The 2024 national budget, passed and submitted to the President’s office on May 7, 2024, was allegedly illegally withdrawn and altered to infuse at least $20 million for personal gain.
STAND’s statement also exposes a serious crime: the forgery of the Speaker’s signature while he was out of the country. This egregious act raises significant concerns, and the Speaker’s muted response has only heightened suspicion of his involvement, the group said.
“The committee’s findings reflect a disgraceful miscarriage of justice, protecting powerful officials from prosecution while unfairly targeting lower-level staff.
“The Womba Committee ignored irrefutable evidence within its own report, which directly implicates lawmakers in this criminal act.
“Despite overwhelming evidence implicating members of the Joint Ways, Means, and Finance Committee, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Finance.”
The group has also vowed to urge international partners to view the implicated individuals as perpetrators of economic crimes that have hindered the nation’s progress, and to call for the revocation of any privileges or honors they no longer deserve.
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Trust for a New Day (STAND), a leading voice for accountability in Liberia, categorically rejects and condemns the recent report from the special committee investigating the tampering of the 2024 national budget.
This report represents a deliberate cover-up of organized crime involving high-ranking members of the Legislature.
Chaired by Hon. Robert Flomo Womba, the committee’s findings reflect a disgraceful miscarriage of justice, protecting powerful officials from prosecution while unfairly targeting lower-level staff.
The Womba Committee ignored irrefutable evidence within its own report, which directly implicates lawmakers in this criminal act. The 2024 national budget, passed and submitted to the President’s office on May 7, 2024, was illegally withdrawn and altered to infuse at least $20 million for hedonistic motives.
The report also exposes a serious crime: the forgery of the Speaker’s signature while he was out of the country. This egregious act raises significant concerns, and the Speaker’s muted response only heightens suspicion.
Without a clear and decisive effort to distance himself and hold the responsible parties accountable, his silence may be interpreted as tacit endorsement of this grave offense.
Despite overwhelming evidence implicating members of the Joint Ways, Means, and Finance Committee, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Womba report astonishingly shifting blame to junior staffers is an affront to the intelligence of the Liberian people.
STAND demands an immediate and thorough investigation into this blatant fraudulent activity. The Liberian people deserve justice, and all those responsible, regardless of rank, must be held accountable.
This scandal has deeply undermined public trust in our institutions, and the refusal to prosecute those involved reveals a broken system that protects the powerful while punishing the powerless.
If swift action is not taken, STAND will, within days, petition the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) to launch a formal investigation and prosecute all officials involved in this budget tampering scheme.
The LACC’s mandate under its amended Act requires it to intervene in cases of corruption, fraud, and abuse of power, and STAND will ensure this mandate is enforced.
Liberia cannot tolerate a system where the powerful are shielded while the powerless are scapegoated. Confronted with such blatant hypocrisy, STAND is committed to protecting the public interest and will continue to advocate for justice until it is achieved.
Driven by a strong commitment to Liberia’s future, STAND is determined to hold accountable those responsible for manipulating the 2024 National Budget for personal gain.
In our pursuit of justice, we will urge our international partners to view these individuals not as dignitaries but as perpetrators of economic crimes that have hindered the nation’s progress, and we will call for the revocation of any privileges or honors they no longer deserve.
