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LEGISLATIVE
BEAT
News Extra
VOL 8 NO.613
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014
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CENTRAL BANK OF LIBERIA
MARKET BUYING AND SELLING RATES
LIBERIAN DOLLARS PER US DOLLAR
These are indicative rates based on results of daily surveys of
the foreign exchange market in Monrovia and its environs. The
rates are collected from the Forex Bureaux and the commercials
banks. The rates are not set by the Central Bank of Liberia.
Source: Research, Policy and Planning Department, Central Bank Liberia, Monrovia, Liberia
MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2014 L$86.00/US$1 L$87.00/US$1
BUYING SELLING
L$88.00/US$1 L$89.00/US$1
L$89.00/US$1 L$88.00/US$1
SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2014
MONDAY, JUNE 9, 2014
THE ELLEN CORKUM SAGA pg. 8 & 9
ELLEN CORKRUM AND FIANC MELVIN JOHNSON
ASKS LIBERIAN GOVERNMENT:


WHERE IS THE
INDICTMENT?
But going on nearly 500 days since the Liberian government has been claiming all these
allegations against us, we have been served no papers by the American government. Ellen
Corkrum is back on her job in the military, so where is the so-called indictment?.
Judge Melvin Johnson
PLEA FOR
MORE AFL
COUNTY NEWS
Military News
UN Panel of Expert Report
Slams Liberia Justice System
WEAK
CAPACITY TO
INVESTIGATE
AID FOR LEPERS
President Sirleaf donates to the
needly in Bong County
UN ENVOY TO MALI WANTS MORE LIBERIAN TROOPS
HANGING
FATE
PUBLIC WORKS MINISTER IN INTENSE
LOBBYING AFTER DEFEAT OF MOTION
FOR RECONSIDERATION

Page 2 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Kennedy L. Yangian kennedylyangian@frontpageafricaonline.com 077296781 Al-Varney Rogers alrogers2008@gmail.com
Monrovia-
O
phoree Diah former general of the defunct rebel
movement Liberians United for Reconciliation and
Democracy (LURD) and 12 other defendants were found
guilty of mercenarism Tuesday in a verdict rendered by a
six member trial jury of the Criminal Court D at Temple of Justice.
It was tense a moment as several gathered at the Temple of Justice to
witness the fnal verdict in the long standing trial with the Liberian
National Police moving in to calm what was becoming a tension by
preventing people from getting closer to the courtroom.
Still, under heavy down pour of rain the entire day, families, friends
and sympathizers of the defenadtns and others defed the rain and
stood frm to hear the verdict.
After several hours of closed door discussions, the six member jury
arrived from jury room before nightfall and announced that reviewing
the requisite laws cited by the two parties, and the evidence produced
by the prosecution; they were convinced that the defendants were
guilty of the crime of mercenarism
We the jurors unanimously agree that after carefully perusing the
evidence adduced at the trial do hereby declare the defendants guilty
of the crime of mercenarism said six member jury
Verdict of disappointment
Minutes after the jurors announced the verdict, some family members
of the defendants, left the courtroom highly disappointed as the 13
made their way back to jail. Family members were seen openly
weeping outside of the court while others were seen condemning the
Judiciary terming the judgment as unfair.
With the ruling, Presiding Judge Emery Paye announced that he
would be rendering fnal judgment in the case on June 17, 2014 at
10: 00 am.
Under the cold weather, family members and friends focked in and
out of the court from morning till early evening awaiting the jury
verdict.
The scene was that of intense drama as families were seen optimistic
that their relatives would pass the night home, after nearly three years
behind bars. But their hopes were dashed after the jurors came out the
deliberation room, announcing that all of the thirteen standing trail
were guilty.
The pronouncement sent shockwaves in the court as some family
members and friends started weeping profusely
The court became quiet upon the announcement of the verdict by the
jurors against the thirteen persons standing the trail.
Courtyard squabble
Before the ruling, the police decision to get friends, families and
sympathizers out of courtyard met stiff rsistance from the crowd,
but the intervention of Former Grand Gedeh Superintendent Chris
Bailey who had also gone to witness the ruling put the situation under
control. Grand Gedeh district three representative Alex Grant after
the ruling said, he respects the decision of the jurors adding that it
he was surprise to see some of the jurors crying after making their
decision.
"I have not seen a case where juror will make decision and be grieving,
some of them almost crying, forcing themselves to wear dark glasses,
Im not making any comment but to maintain this position for now,"
Grant said.
Grant continued: "I want to withhold all my comments, we want to
reserve all of our comments to contact our legal counsel, to know
what to pursue further. But whatever the case is, the decision of
the jurors, we respect it; we continue to hold consultation with
our lawyers. The lawyer representing the legal interest of alleged
mercenaries Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe said the verdict is "disappointing"
and "inconsistent" with the evidence.
"I'm disappointed, the verdict is inconsistent with the evidence, the
evidence was not suffcient for conviction, in a criminal trail you have
to prove your case beyond all reasonable doubt," Gongloe added.
Cllr. Gongloe said, their legal team would fle a motion of retrial
adding that the action of the jurors raises questions.
Cllr. Gongloe said: Why the jurors are wearing glasses some of
them crying? Look at the argument we made, we have a time to fle a
motion for retrial and they are looking at that."
Defendants in bloody murder
The 13 defendants were among 18 defendants charged by the state
with mercenarism in September 2012, in connection with the cross
border attacks in the Ivory Coast, which resulted to the death of
several persons including seven United Nations Peace Keepers from
Niger serving in the Ivory Coast. The civil unrest in the Ivory Coast
had erupted between supporters of former Ivorian President Laurent
Gbagbo and that of current President Alassane Ouattara.
Five of the defendants were released for lack of evidence by the court,
which the prosecution interposed no objection while the rest of the 13
defendants remained on trial for their alleged role in the cross border
attack but denied all of the charges against them during the trial.
Most of the defendants have claimed they know nothing about the
war in the Ivory Coast, some of them consider it a witch-hunt against
them because of their connection to Grand Gedeh County.
At the close of the trial Tuesday, lawyers for the state in a fnal
argument told the jury that testimonies from it witnesses as well as
its material evidence have shown that the state did prove its case
therefore called on the jurors to bring down the defendants guilty.
Honorable ladies and gentlemen of the jury please base your
judgment on prima facie evidence, best evidence and the doctrine of
mere denial as mere denial under the law without justifcation, does
not warrant a defendant not guilty, said Cllr. Theophilus Gould.
In criminal cases principal witnesses testimonies must be
corroborative but this was not the case with the prosecution one
witness say this another witness say another team, said Atty. Arthur
Johnson.
This is the second of high profle cases in which the state has charged
Liberians of committing such crime. Retired General Charles Julu
(deceased), Andrew Dorbor (deceased) and others were accused of
treason but following years of trial, the state could not prove its case
leading to their acquittal.
Nearly all the 13 are from the same tribe and region as Julu and
Dorbor prompting some to believe that people from Grand Gedeh
County are been targeted by the state.
After Judge Paye ruling, should he uphold the verdict by the Jurors,
the Defense lawyers have the option to take an appeal before the
Supreme Court as it will enable the high to hear the case and render
fnal judgment.
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 3
v
T
here we go again -- Our government engaging in yet another farcical
adventure that is needless, unnecessary and dangerous.
On February 6, 2014, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf launched a
National Symbols Review Project spearheaded by a Governance
Commission to promote a national conversation on our offcial Symbols;
the national fag, the national seal, the national anthem and national awards.
The President and the commission have assumed that these national symbols
are not transgenerational; they have created an identity crisis and as a
consequence, we remain an unreconciled people. Accordingly, reviving the
old debate about changing these historical emblems will resolve our Identity
crisis and reconcile us as a nation.
Before unpacking the issues at hand, let me begin by saying unequivocally
that I am not unmindful of the fact that national reconciliation remains the
single most imperative to lasting peace and economic opportunities for our
nation and all its people. But the matrix of this debate is littered with faws
and needless innuendos. As a Liberian, I fnd it quite disconcerting that at this
decisive moment in our nations recovery, there are those who yet espoused
this tiresome idea of tampering with our national symbols in the name of
inclusivity and national reconciliation; contending that the Liberian people
are not reconciled because of an "identity crisis." Really? While I agree with
the diagnosis that we are not reconciled, I fnd the cause and prescription for
cure wanting and a serious historical transgression.
But the call to replace our national fag, the Lone Star, and other national
symbols as mentioned earlier is nothing new. It hearkens back to as recent
as two former Presidents; William R.Tolbert and Samuel K.Doe. Both men
had to endure this nagging albatross around their necks about replacing the
national fag. In both cases, the proponents could not come up with any viable
alternatives to justify the changes, and as a result, their arguments were
rejected. Whereas, today's devotees to changing our national symbols believe
that in prior cases, the process was not consultative and thorough enough. But
the rejection of these arguments -- which I predict shall happen again -- was
not based upon the lack of consultation or a less than comprehensive review of
the process. The rejection was founded on the plastic nobility of a cause and a
premise that is yet farcical and dangerous. Why do we want to re-litigate the
past? What empirical evidence is there as to how our national emblems created
an "identity crisis" and contributed to an unreconciled Liberia plagued with
all its economic woes? What line or verse in the national anthem there is to
remediate? ...In union strong success is sure WE can not fail? Or is it With
heart and hand, our country's cause defending? Could it be We meet the foe
with valor unpretending, Long Live Liberia happy land, this home of glorious
Liberty by God's command? I need not gainsay what others might think, but
when man will stop at nothing to see vices within virtues, vision is amputated
and a nation suffers a paralysis of good counsel and sound judgment.
When Daniel Bashiel Warner wrote these Lyrics, he might have anticipated
the far reaching challenges of freedom and liberty but not a smidgen of any
"identity crisis. So why blame the fag or the national symbols? The real
identity crisis here is when government fails to do right by her citizens because
she fails to prioritize. What would be the greater good to the country now-- if
there be any at all -- even if these changes are welcomed; when a mother in
Monrovia has to choose to send her nine year-old girl on the streets to help sell
petite merchandise over sending that child to school just to feed her household,
when little Jebbeh in Garwula, Cape Mount County, is without any means to
attend whatever school that is in her district because her parents cannot afford
it, when parents in Zigida, Lofa County have to walk miles to bring their kids
to a clinic if there be any, when the availability of electricity and safe drinking
water to a greater
portion of the population in the country are appalling, when we as a nation
are at the bottom rung of the global ladder in infant mortality, when poverty is
the lot of the vast majority instead of economic opportunities and, when our
current educational system is seriously lagging. No matter what the changes
to our national anthem or other symbols might be, when all these structural
problems persist, than our constitution -- which speaks of the virtues of liberty
and reconciliation and condemns the vices of injustice and divisions -- remains
a phantom but not a fact.
Furthermore, nothing else has tattered the political and socio-economic fabrics
of this nation more than the civil war of about fourteen years. Yet this was an
apocalypse that was inevitable not because of our national symbols, but, as
a consequence, a mosaic of structural social ills that created an "otherised
society which ultimately triggered a massive collision of wills. The experience
of the brutal civil war if there is anything to learn, mirrors what happens when
government neglects its obligations to those who are the least among us and
allowing for their plagues to fester without any urgency to address them.
Hitherto, government response to tackle these social challenges even with all
these actual fatal outcomes remains anemic to say the least. But we can not
wait and we should not wait for change to happen no more than change is
waiting on us to act. Real change does not just happen, it is generated.
While the unique tapestry of our history as a people might still be the enigma
of our times to some, Liberians notwithstanding, do not have any identity
crisis. Even with our overwhelming challenges and widespread diversities,
we know who we are. Certainly there are conversations to be had about crises
but our identity is not one of them. So promoting conversation on logos
and symbols as more Liberians become pariahs in their own society only
trivializes the actual affictions and anxieties of our people. For far too long,
Liberians have waited for the arch of justice and economic opportunities to
bend towards them. Having being laterally jaded and disappointed by leaders
who are uninspiring, ineffectual, and too often disengaged, we as a result, have
developed an antipathy toward the political hegemony.
Somehow our government have managed to have lost its way. Instead of
keeping frst things frst, our government has opted to distort the scale of
preference but not without serious implications. Whenever there are very
palpable socio-economic matters in the country to be addressed, then suddenly
the self-ordained custodians and pilgrims of our national heritage -- the fag-
changing-apostles -- resurface only to luxuriate more in their irrelevance
and strange obsessions. Can you imagine the effrontery of this Governance
Commission, and, the Madam President, who is understandably quite
exhausted from the challenges and failings of governing, to lend credence
to this debate at such a critical time; where the economy suffers domestic
abuse, the gap of economic disparity unconscionable, basic services and
infrastructures remain stagnant and the height of corruption in the country
makes the Wologizi looks like a plain.
I perceived at this point, the voices of virtues decrying this alarming MRI
report on the anatomy of our body politics while maintaining the cliche that
things are picking up gradually." Exactly! Those who advocate the luxury of
gradualism, exploit the urgency of the moment over those issues which ought
to be given priority only to revive their same boring arguments on logos and
symbols. Moreover, what is even worse is the height of arrogance conceived
of this commission to think it beftting what is an attempt to alter a history of
one-hundred and sixty-seven years and counting. This to me is the real travesty
to our identity and history. The precedent that could ensue from this argument,
if it should succeed, could open up an avalanche of debates with the potential
to redefne and alter other historical nomenclatures or facts not excluding or
limited to the name of our beloved country Liberia, a new defnition for who
is a Liberian and a host of other controversial issues that could create further
divisions and setbacks. I hope our President and her commission will hearken
to the admonition of wisdom tried and tested from off the lips of Solomon,
do not remove the ancient landmarks which your fathers have set. Is there
nothing else to do? Is there no balm in Liberia? Is there no physician
there? Where is that one thing that government is focused on? Have we run
out of scams, shams, and skimps that we are now promoting conversations that
relegate our cherished historical emblems into a project and public enemies
of the state? Is it that bad now?
My fellow Liberians, I wish I could say that this is all some passing fancy or
just a bad dream that we are having. But I can not. Perilous times are here, but
with the tenacity of our collective hope, such times will soon be gone. So let us
not panic; the time of our favor is nigh and "the splendor of this our latter house
shall be greater than that of the former." And even though you seem abandoned
and all alone, and some of you as parents have long passed your wits end,
continue to look up; there remains in you a suffciency of purpose to live for
and a destiny to fulfll. The Lone Star is not all alone and so are you. Whilst
our government is launching project to review our national symbols and at the
same time promoting conversations to change them, I urge you to promote
another conversation that would summer the courage of your advocacy and
the power of your votes to search out leadership that will wisely steer the ship
of the state; one that would engage, inspire, prioritize, and lift the lives of
you and your childrens children. Not one that would convert nationalism into
narcissism. Not a leadership that would lavish precious opportunities on self-
aggrandizement. Not one that would squander our already meager resources
on solutions in search of problems. And certainly not one that would subject
our past and our national symbolisms to revisionism.
These emblems encapsulate the Liberian experience since independence and
we must resist the folly of toying with anyone of them. No history is perfect
nor could it be perfect as long as man remains the axis of history. And if some
believe that they hold the scepter in their hands to take away the transgressions
of our history -- in light of our national symbols -- and impute righteousness,
than I must require to see the nail scars in their hands and place my hands
in their sides, or else, these arguments less any ambiguity are not only an
abomination to us as a people but blasphemous to our founding.
As I grapple with this issue as to why our fag, seal and national anthem are
being ridiculed as accessories to the dysfunctions of our nation, I am reminded
that the only lessons man learns from history is that man learns nothing
from history. So lest we forget, December 24, 1989 is not a "project" but a
real historical disruption of epic proportion. And those who think that Logos
and symbols are responsible in any way shape or form for the unspeakable
savagery that marred this nation and scarred its people should have their heads
examined. Therefore to suggest that the people of Liberia, mired in the yoke of
poverty have a crisis with their identity is simply a misnomer. And regardless
of our steep economic challenges as Liberians, we are at least entitled to some
semblance of our dignity. So for the commission or anyone to assume that we
the people have a crisis with our identity is quite reprehensible. I think what
is cleared here is that there is no crisis of identity but rather a crisis of priority
which is mainly at the door steps of our leadership and government. If this
government is really serious and wants to do something to be more inclusive
and conciliatory as far as our symbols are concerned, perhaps it could reset
its focus to do what it does best---just as in most cases---do nothing. Just let
our symbols be.
Perhaps, it is the perils of misplaced priorities of governance which continue
to accelerate an apathy toward our national identity more so than the logos
and symbols we are yet bent on replacing. But if we are going to make any
lasting progress to turn the corner in the interest of national reconciliation and
socio-economic developments, there has to be a paradigm shift of our minds
and mind-sets and reject this lethal political dogma that emphasizes shadows
and types over the real concerns and aspirations of the people, or else, leading
our country out of the ruins of war and stagnation to genuine reconciliation as
a national endeavor only becomes more of a superfcial exercise.
THE PERILS OF MISPLACED PRIORITIES
FrontPage
v
Commentary
EDITORIAL
THE ENVIRONMENTAL Protection Agency of Liberia has
requested the Ministry of Justice to provide its inspectors with
police protection in a bid to remove the generator that supplies
FrontPageAfrica with power to operate its offce in Congotown.
THE EPAS DECISION stems from a complaint fled by Dr. Martha
Sendolo Belleh, a former Minister of Health and Social Welfare in
the Samuel K. Doe government.
FOR THE RECORD, FrontPageAfrica has been operating in the
vicinity in question since 2008, long before Ms. Belleh commenced
construction of her building. Nevertheless, following a meeting
with Ms. Belleh, FrontPageAfrica and Ms. Belleh agreed that we
would carry out a number of facelift to prevent the emission from
entering Ms.Bellehs building.
For the past three month, since FPA was informed by Ms. Belleh,
we have not used the generator in question because we came to the
conclusion that we would complete the tune-ups which included
raising the fence adjacent to Ms. Bellehs building and raising the
pipe above her building so that the emission from the generator will
no longer enter her premises.
THAT WORK is nearly completed.
IN THE MEANTIME, our staff has been working off the premises,
unless in cases where the Liberia Electricity Corporation decides
to give power to the area and that has not been the case for some
time now.
WE DID ALL THIS just to satisfy the wishes of Ms. Belleh and
avoid confrontation with her, or any breach of the EPA regulations.
TO OUR SURPRISE, while the construction was taking place, the
EPA continued to send us communications regarding the complaint
when in fact we were doing everything in our power to ensure that
this matter was resolve.
AFTER EXPLAINING TO ANYAA VOHIRI, Director of the EPA
the efforts we were making to rectify the issue with Ms. Belleh, the
director agreed that we should continue with the retooling of the
building to keep the emission from Ms. Bellehs yard.
TO OUR SURPRISE, Ms. Vohiris deputy, Stephen Neufville
took it upon himself to write the following letter seeking police
protection from the Ministry of Justice to remove the generator
from our offce.
IN A LETTER dated May 28, 2014 sent to Cllr.Wheatonia Dixon
Barnes, Acting Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the EPA
writes:
Dear Minister Barnes,
I wish to present you my compliments and to inform you of EPAs
decision to remove a generator located in the vicinity of Congotown
and owned by Mr. Rodney Sieh of the FrontPageAfrica Newspaper.
This decision is the result of the intervention of a complaint brought
to the EPA by Madam Martha Sendolo-Belleh, a resident of
Congotown against Mr. Rodney Sieh for the emission of generator
smoke into her house by means of the exhaust pipe built through
her fence.
Upon receipt of said complaint, Mr. Sieh was invited for inquiry
and at the end of our inquiry, it was decided that the generator be
removed within seven (7)working days as of the date of the decision
which was on Thursday, May 1, 2014. But the removal is yet to take
place.
In view of the above and in keeping with Section 69 of the
Environmental Protection and Management Law of Liberia 2003
entitled Prohibition of Pollution by Emission which prohibits
pollution by Emission, we are therefore requesting that the Ministry
of Justice provides police protection to our inspectors in the exercise
of removing the generator. This exercise is scheduled to take place
on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at 10: 00am.
Please accept the sentiment of my highest esteem as we strive for
save and clean environment for Liberians.
Kind Regards
Stephen Y. Neufville
Acting Executive Director
FOR THE RECORD, no representative of FrontPageAfrica
was part of any inquiry as claimed by Mr. Neufville. Secondly,
FrontPageAfrica is only a tenant in the building and its publisher
Rodney Sieh is not the owner of the generator. The generator is
owned by FrontPage Corporation.
WE ARE UNSURE what the motive is behind Mrs. Belleh and
the EPAs attempt to shut down our operations within the vicinity
when right next door to Mrs. Bellehs building is the Lonestar
Communication Corporations which has an even bigger generator
which spreads more smoke into the environment and her building.
The company equipment and operations are much larger than
FrontPageAfrica.
COMMENTARY
WHAT DOES EPA
WANT FROM US?
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY SEEKING POLICE PROTEC-
TION AGAINST FRONTPAGEAFRICA
Aristotle Jemah-nix Addy, judnesiaaddy@yahoo.com, Contributing Writer
LONESTAR CELL operates two 500KVA generators which run
more hours than FrontPageAfrica which has an 80KVA generator
that operates less than fve hours daily and used only for printing
purposes at night.
ADDITIONALLY, the community is host to several companies
including Putu Range, Bea Mountain and others all with bigger
generators than FPA. This is why we are puzzled and do not see the
rationale for targeting FrontPageAfrica.
EPA HAS NEVER inspected the environment to know the volume
of smoke sent into the air by Lonestar Cell Communications and
other companies but is singling out FrontPageAfrica for reasons
best known to the EPA and Mrs. Belleh. More importantly, no other
company within the vicinity has taken the steps FPA has taken to
ease the concerns of Mrs. Belleh.
IT IS SAD that Mr. Neufville chose to use his power and infuence
to try and sabotage our operations by taking the generator away from
our premises.
IN A POST-WAR nation still struggling to restore electricity to
millions of its citizens, generator is the only source of power for
many homes and businesses.
THROUGHOUT Monrovia, the buzzing sounds of generators
can be heard daily and nightly. It is sad that the EPA has chosen
FrontPageAfrica as the only violators of its Section 69 EPA
Prohibition of Pollution by Emission policy.
WERE PRETTY sure that if this policy is implemented throughout
the length and breadth of Liberia, the EPA would need a lot of police
escorts to push a lot of businesses and homes into darkness.
Page 4 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
JUDGING
WEAH BY THE
COMPANY HE
KEEPS
WHERE IS THE
HOUSE ETHICS
COMMITTEE
WHEN YOU NEED
THEM?
FrontPage
Send your letters and comments to:
editor@frontpageafricaonline.com
YOU WRITE; WE PUBLISH; THEY READ!
COMMENTS FROM
FPA ONLINE
DISCLAIMER
The comments expressed here are those of our online readers and
bloggers and do no represent the views of FrontPageAfrica
Rodney D. Sieh, Managing Editor, 0886-738-666;
077-936-138, editor@FrontPageAfricaonline.com;
rodney.sieh@FrontPageAfricaonline.com
Wade C. L. Williams, News Desk Chief, wade.
williams@frontpageafricaonline.com; 0880664793
Sports Editor, Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886236528
Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.
com
Al-varney Rogers al.rogers@frontpageafricaonline.
com, 0886-304498
Sports Reporter, A. Macaulay Sombai,macaulay.
sombai@FrontpageAfricaonline.com, 077217428
COUNTY NEWS TEAM
Grand Bassa, Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, 0777432042
Bong County, Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@
frontpageafricaonline.com, 0886-484666
Sinoe County, Leroy N.S Kanmoh, leroy.kanmoh@
frontpageafricaonline.com
0886257528
BUSINESS/ADVERTISING
Kadi Coleman Porte, 0886-304-178/ 0777832753, advertise@
frontpageafricaonline.com
E
DITORIAL TEAM
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
ABOUT OUR STORIES ON THE
WORLDWIDE WEB
The Reader's Page
SYLVESTER MOSES TOP COMMENTER
In their 2013 book on campaign reporting and political science
entitled THE GAMBLE: Choice and Chance in the 2012 Presidential
Election, John Sides and Lynn Vavreck devoted a section to the three
stages of media coverage many candidates go through during primaries
on the road to the American presidency; they are as follows: discovery,
scrutiny and decline.
As a result of his charisma, and the adulation of a rising population of
soccer crazy youths and young adults, our legend, Ambassador George
Weah, didnt have to go through the stage of discovery. And apart
from the issue of education which he overcame, the popular candidate
hasnt yet undergone a serious scrutiny by the press on his integrity,
except now.
Despite his defense, would these emails be the smoking gun to trigger
a decline, and an end to his thrilling trek to the presidency? if Weahs
meteoric rise from rags to riches through determination, hard work and
competitive advantage is any guide, it would take more than emails to
slow down his ambition. Time will tell, we thank FPA for breaking the
story.
SELTUE R KARWEAYE SR. TOP COMMENTER METRO STATE
183 SUBSCRIBERS
The revelation of George Weah is sickening. It seem everyone is a
fatherly fgure to confused Weah. First Sapp Blatter and now Bin
Hammam. It was Sapp Blatter who appointed Weah to the Pretigious
FIFA Committee which also includes Members like Roger Milla and
Pele. Blatter even Weah continue to used his fame for corruptible
practices in order to maximize wealth-from the back door dealing
in Liberia politics to the international footballing stage. He should
be ashamed of himself! Unfortunately, the Brother have no Ethical
principles or Standards. Accepting mere 30 British pound for so-called
school fees is sad. I believe it's God revealing the true color of Weah and
criminal enterprise. We beat on Ellen's led government for corruption
and malpractices and yet Weah and his compatriots are catched with
their pant down and folks want to justifed Weah dealing in the FIFA
Scandal. Let called Spade a Spade. Sometime, I wondered if We
Liberian are Cursed People or just Wicked and Selfsh People.
JOHN WILLIAMS TOP COMMENTER EASTERN UNIVERSITY,
ST. DAVIDS, PA
Football made Weah and helped to propel him to the national political
scene. I hope football does not help to destroy his political career.
The elections in 2017 will be completely different from 2005 or any
presidential elections Liberia has ever seen. There will be rigorous
scrutiny of candidates like never before. In the past it was easy for
anyone to claim that "America or the UN sent me" and people would
buy it. After Ellen's performance that propaganda will not easily
work. Similarly, after the performance of the legislature and cabinet
ministers, just being a "country" man or woman will not earn anyone
automatic acceptance. Too many people have died and the Liberian
people have a responsibility to ensure that those hundreds of thousands
of innocent people who were killed did not die in vain. Liberians have a
responsibility to ensure that they elect people, from the lowest position
to the presidency, who will seek the interest of the country. I have
always maintained that academic excellence and international contacts
are good but they do not guarantee patriotism and good governance.
Liberians must search for competent and incorruptible people to move
the country forward. The state of Liberia is shameful and leaders who
are prepared to sacrifce for the country to make the great leap must be
identifed and given the opportunity to lead. As this story has shown,
there are people with money in the world who are prepared to buy
anything. If Liberia has not already been sold, Liberians have a duty
to ensure that the integrity of the country is retained and maintained!
EDWARD ROYE TOP COMMENTER LIBERIA COLLEGE
World best player turned BM? this is unfortunate. for sure, the rumor
that lone star sold her chance of going to worldcup in 2002 seem to
be real. if weah of all personalities who played for millions of dollars
can come so low as to take $50,000.00 to infuence vote in liberia, just
shows how unserious this guy who want to lead Liberia is. all of his
predecessors(renown world class footballers) are linked to positivities
not criminality; from King pele, Abdi Pele, Platini, kanu, abu trikha,
etc. why should it be our Weah?it is time for Amb. Weah to step out
of public domain and clear his name at the FIFA saga. it is time for
the CDC to ask amb. Weah to clear his name before being considered
political leader of his party. i m sure CDC would dare ask weah to do
such.
The Editor,
When will the ignorant masses wake up to Weah's
relationship with racketeers?? (Re "Weah Defends
"Father Figure" Admits Probe in FIFA Saga")
The Sunday Times of London reported that it had
obtained million of documents that Weah's "father
figure", Bin Hammam, a Qatari former FIFA executive
committee member, paid a US$5 million bribe, in cash
and kind, to senior officials to ensure Qatar's bid for
2022 World Cup!
By the way, Bin Hammam has been banned from FIFA
for life!
But the bribe included US$10,000 to Izetta White
Envelope Wesley, LFA President; a 2011 Hyundai
(car) to Liar Eugene Nagbe, and US$50,000 to George
Kickback Weah!!
Emails between Weah's long time personal assistant and
now Youth and Sports Minister, Liar Eugene Nagbe, and
Bin Hammam's assistant revealed that Weah requested
US$50,000 in exchange for his support for Qatar's bid
to host the 2022 World Cup. The money was deposited
in the Weah's checking account!
After that, Weah started referring to Bin Hammam as his
"father figure" !!!
But keep in mind that this is NOT the first time that Weah
has defended his friendship with a shady character: On
June 4, 2010, while in Maryland (USA), visiting his
gangster friend (James Bestman), Weah witnessed his
friend (Bestman) being served a warrant by the FBI for
money laundering and possession of drugs.
On that same day, the FBI interrogated Weah about his
relationship with Bestman. He referred to Bestman as
his "childhood friend of 20 years!"
In 2011, Weah's childhood friend (Bestman) was
convicted of marijuana possession and money
laundering!
But as my mother told me "People will judge you by the
company you keep, so be careful how you choose your
friends"
Now Weah is running for elected office (senator),
shouldn't his friendship with a convicted drug dealer
(Bestman) and a disgraced FIFA executive (Bin
Hamman) be important considerations when you judge
how he (Weah) might conduct himself as your next
senator???
Look: If you're one of those nominally educated
WEAH DEFENDS FATHER
FIGURE ADMITS PROBED
IN FIFA SAGA
Liberian (cdc goon) who think that Weah's close alliance
with these unsavory characters (Bestman and Bin
Hammam) don't say anything about Weah's character
and judgement, I've a public service announcement for
you: "When October comes around, stay home! Don't
bother to Vote!"
Martin Scott
Atlanta, Georgia
martyretire@yahoo.com
The Editor,
H
ow many times will this goon (Rep. Acarous Gray)
get away with felony? (Re "Acarous Gray Denies
Phone Theft" Daily Observer Online)
Representative Acarous Gray has ALL the markings
of a felon!!!.. But will you ever see Gray in an orange jumpsuit??
Please. In Liberia, lawmakers are entitled to legislative immunity
for felony!
In case your short term memory has failed you, let's recap some of
Gray's felonious activities, shall we??
#1) Have you forgotten how Gray and his goons threw stones at
3 year old school children and blocked productive citizens from
going to work during their (CDC) so called "peace march" on
March 25, 2011???
#2) Have you forgotten how Gray dressed up in a military fatigue
to intimidate elections offcials and incite election violence
because a CDC candidate was correctly disqualifed from a the
by-election (Re "CDC By-Elections Disqualifcation Leads to
Another Violent Turn in Monrovia")???
3) Have you ever seen a picture of Rep. Gray on the internet
(FPA website)?? Gray is an opium smoker.. Look at his red eyes!
Red eyes are an indicator of heavy marijuana use, but our public
servants not required to take drug test, so Gray gets high and does
all kinds of crazy shit to law-abiding citizens!
Look. When you assault school children; incite election violence;
smoke pot on the job; and steal other people property-- you belong
in the jail house, not in the House of Representatives!
Where the hell is the damn House Ethics committee when you
need them?
Martin Scott
Atlanta, Georgia
martyretire@yahoo.com
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 5

F
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MILITARY NEWS
F
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NEWS EXTRA
UN ENVOY TO MALI PLEADS FOR LIBERIAN TROOPS
Monrovia-
P
ublic Works Minister
Antoinette Weeks has
resulted into intense
lobbying with some
senators to pardon her after a
motion for reconsideration fled
by Senator Alphonso Gaye (Unity
Party, Grand Gedeh County)
delaying the decision of the
senate plenary for the minister to
appear along with her lawyer was
defeated.
The ffteen senators in session
voted eight in favor, six against
and one abstention to defeat
the motion which prevented the
Minister from appearing with her
lawyer Tuesday.
Sources say the Ministry of Public
Works through one of her deputy
Ministers was Tuesday seen in the
Capitol Building, lobbying with
individual senators in an effort
to prevail on them to relax the
decision to slap her with contempt
charges.
Last week after two appearances
of the Minister before the plenary
of the Senate, that august body
voted for the Minister to appear
Tuesday June 10, 2014 to give
reasons why she should not be
held in contempt for impeding the
workings of Legislators, but that
decision was halted by a Motion
for reconsideration by Senator
Gaye.
Senator Gaye fled a Motion for
reconsideration against the motion
fled by Senator Armah Jallah
(NPP-Gbapolu County) and that
motion was accepted in keeping
with the rules of the senate.
Gaye Motion defeated
But on Tuesday, the Grand
Gedeh senators motion for
reconsideration was tested and
defeated by eight of the ffteen
senators who were present in
Tuesday session.
With the motion being defeated
the Public works minister is
expected to face the senate with
her legal counsel on Thursday to
give reasons why she should not
be held in contempt for impeding
the functions of the senate Public
works committee.
The senate last week accused the
Public works minister of failing to
respond to many communications
sent to her by individual senators
and the chair of the senate
committee on public works who
expressed concerns over stalled
road projects and deplorable roads
in and around the country.
Last week during her appearance,
Minister Weeks blamed the under
performance of the ministry
under her leadership to what
she described as the nightmare
inherited by her administration.
She said she inherited a ministry
indebted to contractors in the tune
of US$83 million, something she
said has negatively impacted the
relationship of her ministry with
contractors. She said out of the
34 Million United States dollars
submitted to the fnance Ministry
for payment only 14 has been paid.
The public works minister
comments was in response to
concerns raised by senators Peter
Coleman and Joseph Nagbe of
Grand Kru and Sinoe counties who
expressed fear of not being able to
host the July 26 independence due
to the bad road conditions in the
southeast of the country.
But contrary to the Minister
assertion, Maryland County
Senator Dan Morais (NPP)
dispelled claimed by the minister
that she inherited all of the
problems that she is currently
experiencing at the Ministry
adding that some of the very
Bamako, Mali-
T
he United Nations Secretary General Special Representative
to Mali, has pleaded with Liberias Defense Minister
Brownie J. Samukai for Liberian troops to continue to
contribute to the UN mission in Mali.
Mr. Albert Gerard Koenders, UN Envoy to Mali told Minister Samukai
that the performance of the Liberian troops during their mission in

HANGING FATE
Public works Minister in intense lobbying after defeat of motion for reconsideration
Henry karmo (0886522495) henrykarmo47@gmail.com
Mali shows that Liberians can make meaningful contributions to the
United Nations in restoring peace to Mali.
SRSG Koenders, who appeared happy to see the Liberian Delegation,
immediately greeted the delegation and told Minister Samukai that he
was very pleased with the performance of the Liberian Troops in Mali
because according to him, he keeps getting good news from the force
commander heading the entire MINUSMA mission in Mali.
We want to continue working with the Liberian troops, and since we
have the Minister and the Member of Parliament here, we are sure
that you are going to think about replacing the troops when their time
is fnished. And we also want to thank the government of Liberia and
the Liberian people for what they are doing for peace in Mali said
UNSG Koenders.
Easy to Get along
MINUSMA Force Commander Major General Jean Bosco Kazura
also reechoed the appeal of the UN envoy to have the presence of
Liberian troops on the UN Mission.
Force Commander Kazura who was not in the offce of the SRSG,
hurriedly arrived after he was called by the SRSG to meet the
Liberian delegation and he also heaped praises on the Liberian Troop
describing them as dutiful.
The Force Commander, who escorted the delegation outside after
the brief meetings, further disclosed that even though, they do not
know when the war in Mali will end, he hopes to have more Liberian
soldiers rotated, until the end of the Mission.
He also said it is a surprise to see all of other contingents eager to
work with the Liberian soldiers because they are easy to get along
when it comes to communication.
I do not know how the Liberian soldiers do it, but they communicate
well with both the Bangladeshi Battalion and the Togolese troops.
The Bangladeshi fnds it diffcult to communicate with the Togolese
troops, because they speak French, but the Liberians communicate
with them well, Commander Kazura said.
Food, weather pose challenge
Many would wonder how the soldiers are adapting to life in a Desert
Country that is very windy and hot, unlike the weather in Liberia,
but Staff Offcer John M. Kokulo described the weather as one of the
major challenges facing the soldiers.
The major challenge we are facing is with the weather and food.
The temperature in Mali is very hot, as compared to the weather in
Liberia and the food is different from what we eat in Liberia, but we
are adjusting. Most of all, we missed our families back home who we
have not seen for nearly a year now, Staff offcer Kokulo said.
Offcer Kokulo who works at the UN Headquarters in Bamako, as
the Planning Offcer of the joint logistics Operation Center, said they
receive Military stipend allowance from the UN and also receive a
monthly allowance from the AFL while their salaries back home is
deposited in their separate bank accounts.
According to Offcer Kokulohe is able to withdraw money from his
Ecobank account with his ATM card, when he needs extra money.
I am very happy to be selected to be part of this mission to represent
my country in Mali and receiving a medal is such an honor for me.
Therefore, I want to encourage every youth not to see the Army as the
worse career in life but as a way to pay your country back for what it
has done for you, he said.
He also disclosed that they are three staff offcers with the UN in
Bamako while there are 46 soldiers deployed in Diabady.
Within the next three weeks, Kokulo and the rest of the troops will
be returning home and would be replaced by another group who are
currently undergoing training for the Mission in Mali.

Mae Azango FPA Staff Writer - 0886545960
problems being experienced by
the minister are projects that were
signed under her watch.
Senator Morais named Stanley
Consultant as one of the
companies that the minister signed
contract with and has defaulted
by failure of the company to
prepare a bid, which is part of the
supervisory contract given to them
by the Public works ministry.
Senator Morais said: No bid
document yet but the Ministry
is attempting to recruit another
consultant and that consultant will
be charged with the responsibility
to prepare bid documents. The
reliance that the Ministry has
now is the Monrovia Buchanan
highway. What this speaks to is
that the delay in getting this project
up, falls in the lap of the minister
of Public works; her inability to
do work as speedily as possible
is what is giving public works the
problem.
Weeks linked to confict of interest
Minister Weeks also appeared
before plenary of the House of
Representatives to answer to
questions of confict of interest
in granting contracts to a Chinese
company. She stands accused of
increasing the bidding score of one
JB Burgers, a company she once
served as consultant thus giving
them the lead.
Representative Edwin Snowe
(INDP-District #6 Montserrado
County) said the Minister
instructed her former deputy
Mr. Victor Smith to overturn the
Procurement committee report in
favor of Chico while she was in
Japan. In her response to Snowes
claims, Weeks admitted sending an
email to her former deputy but said
it was in the interest of the nation
to give value for money that should
have been spent because while She
was on travel in Japan to do the
fnal negotiations on the Somalia
Drive road, the issues about the
deplorable roads across the bridge
was a national emergency that was
discussed everyday on the radio.
Minister Weeks said: The
Ministry went with the most
responsive bidder the joint
decision that was made to overturn
this incidentally was made by me
and the former deputy minister for
technical services because when
the committee made the decision,
they selected a project.
The committees decision would
have cost government an additional
(USD$ 65,000.00 to USD$
85,000.00) sixty-fve to eighty-fve
thousand United States dollars
because the contractors that were
selected were charging for earth
work and there was absolutely no
earth work being done.
But contrary to the ministers
comments about taking the
decision along with her
former deputy, Representative
Snowe displayed an email sent
from Former Minister Smith
warning Minister weeks against
overturning the Procurement
commitment fnal report; an
email which she acknowledged
receiving from her former deputy.
It is our responsibility to always
ensure that the government gets
value for its money the decision
to overturn that was because it
was the most responsive decision
that the committee not having all
the facts apparently could have
cost the government almost an
additional eighty-fve thousand
dollars on a project that when done
by Chico cost two-hundred and
twenty six thousand dollars thirty
four thousand different from the
initial bid winner, worth below the
PPCC threshold, she said.
After over four hours of
deliberation and responding
to questions from individual
lawmakers, the Public works
Minister apparently lost her voice,
which led to the House plenary to
reschedule her for next Thursday
to answer to other concerns from
lawmaker.
Prior to the rescheduling of the
ministers appearance it was
observed that they were resolved
in fling a vote of no confdence in
the minister, who is being accused
of confict of interest in the
implementation of her functions
which contradicts article 90 of the
Liberian constitution.
Page 6 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
UN PANEL OF EXPERT REPORT ON LIBERIA
F
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NEWS EXTRA
WEAK CAPACITY
TO INVESTIGATE
Monrovia-
T
he United Nations Panel of Expert in its May 23 report to
the UN Security council has stated that the Government
of Liberia has weak capacity to conduct thorough
investigations, especially into complicated cases outside
Monrovia.
The Panel in its report stated that the governments capacity to
prosecute criminal cases effectively is also weak citing the current
case against the mercenaries who killed the seven peacekeepers from
the Niger in 2012.
Though the panel terms the arrests of Ivorians in Liberia and their
transfer to the authorities in Cte dIvoire as commendable because it
suggest enhanced security cooperation between the two Governments,
it states that the GoLs decision to transfer Ivorians, some of whom
were refugees, without due process is, an unfortunate example of a
fawed cooperation.
An example of the Governments weak capacity to undertake
thorough security investigations, especially those involving complex
incidents that occur outside Monrovia, relates to the arrests, between
7 and 14 February, by the national police of 26 individuals, allegedly
for association with militant activity and a plot to attack Cte
dIvoire, states the UN Panel of Expert report.
Continued the panel: On 17 February, the national police
transported the individuals across the Cavalla River and turned them
over to Ivorian offcials. Some of those arrested and transferred
were registered refugees. The Offce of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stated that their return to
Cte dIvoire without due process was a violation of international law
pertaining to refugees (annex II).
The panel in its report states that evidence obtained indicates that at
least some of those individuals had the intention of joining a larger
militia group that attacked the Ivorian towns of Fete and Grabo, on 23
February, killing four Ivorian soldiers and stealing their AK-47 rifes.
The panel notes that one of the arrested individuals is a known militia
member and 12 of the arrested were Ivoirians.
The panel maintains that the transfer of the detained Ivorians to Cte
dIvoire without due process could, have been avoided had the GoL
conducted an in-depth investigation into their background.
The panel states that by turning over the individuals before the conduct
of a thorough investigation, it is likely that signifcant information
and evidence was lost that could have further revealed the networks
of Liberians and Ivorians that continue to show interest in launching
attacks along the border region and have the willingness and capacity
to do so.
The panel states in its report that evidence collected by the LNP and
independently obtained by the Panel indicates that at least some of
the individuals arrested had been involved in militia activity with the
intention of attacking government positions in Cte dIvoire.
The evidence includes notebooks, mobile telephone SIM cards
and mobile telephones obtained from the detainees, in addition to
interviews with the detainees and the Panels militia sources, states
the Panel.
Continued the Panel: It is very encouraging that these evidentiary
items were preserved by the national police, given that vital evidence
has previously been lost in the initial stages of investigation. All the
items found on the arrested individuals were, however, aggregated
and placed into an empty rice bag. That each individuals belongings
were not catalogued makes it extremely diffcult to determine
and prove the ownership of individual pieces of evidence, which
has implications for building and prosecuting strong cases. This
exemplifes the most basic challenges facing the national police in
conducting investigations.
The Panel states in its report that it obtained access to two notebooks
taken from the arrested individuals containing incriminating
information. It states that the notebooks contain detailed information,
including a roster of 72 individuals with names, dates and places of
birth, telephone numbers and associated noms de guerre (annex IV).
Some of the noms de guerre include Bebe Blood, Dont Blem Me,
AK-47, Dragon, Sans Piti (No Mercy), Chien Mchant (Mad Dog),
Guerrier Fou (Mad Warrior) and Cimetire (Graveyard).
The Panel notes that none of the apparently real names were the
same as although some were similar to those of the Ivorians
arrested by the national police (para. 43). The Panel also notes that
individuals in the region often use different names at various times, as
in the case detailed below of Hansen Kapet Weah, who also uses the
name Koudou Kapet Carlos (paras. 50-52), states the Panel.
Continued the Panel: Two separate lists contain the noms de guerre
and include designations such as HP, CI, LW and 231, which
the Panel has reason to believe relate to locations inside Liberia. The

Panel notes that 231 is the telephone country code for Liberia
and that HP, CI and LW are the common abbreviations for
Harper (a town in Maryland county, Liberia), Cte dIvoire and the
Little Wlebo refugee camp in Maryland county (annex VI). Another
document shows what appears to be the breakdown of individuals
gathered from Liberia and Cte dIvoire (annex VII).
The Panel states that the information contained in the notebooks
tallies with witness statements taken by the national police and militia
sources of the Panel that stated that the individuals with the intention
of attacking Cte dIvoire were in Cte dIvoire and in Liberia,
primarily concentrated in the Little Wlebo refugee camp and villages
in and around Harper in Maryland county.
The UN Panel report states that a highly reliable source specifed
after the attacks on Fete and Grabo that three groups were involved
and that owing to the haste with which the arrested individuals were
sent to Cte dIvoire or otherwise released, the Panel was unable to
determine whether the individuals named and listed in the notebooks
were in Liberia or were expecting to be in Liberia ahead of an attack.
Regardless, the evidence suggests and multiple sources told the
Panel that the individuals in question move freely between Liberia
and Cte dIvoire, states the Panel.
The combatants were organized into several smaller groups,
operationally linked but under distinct leadership, according to
sources in the Government of Liberia, an additional highly reliable
source and the detainees witness statements taken by the national
police. This is in line with the way that attacks are often organized
in the region and specifcally were organized in the past, such as
those on Zriglo and Nigre (S/2012/448, para. 82), Phkanhoubli
(S/2012/901, paras. 59-71) and Sakr, Sao and Para in which seven
peacekeepers from the Niger were killed (S/2012/901).
The Panel disclosed that a document in one of the notebooks listed
three groups with three individuals Gbegrer, Kouzoo and
Justice likely to be the respective commanders of the Force
spcial pour la libration de la Cte dIvoire, the Force spcial de
Dieu pour la libration de Cte dIvoire and the Force miraculeuse
deDieu pour la libration de la Cte dIvoire (annex VIII).
The Panel states in its report that the notebook also contained a hand-
drawn map of the area surrounding Fete and Grabo in western Cte
dIvoire that included Nigre and Para, where previous attacks have
taken place.
The Panel also states that it obtained further documentary evidence
that Hie Gnessoi Brice, one of the Ivorians arrested on 14 February
and subsequently transferred to Cte dIvoire, is known to have been
involved in past militia activity.
He is also a registered refugee in the Little Wlebo refugee camp.
He was among the some 100 Liberian and Ivorian combatants who
crossed from Cte dIvoire to Liberia on 24 May 2011 at Tasla, near
Youbor, in River Gee county (S/2011/757, paras. 64-69), states the
Panel.
The group was led by a notorious Liberian mercenary, Mark Doty
Wilson (also known as Mark Miller), who was subsequently
arrested by the Liberian authorities and remains in pretrial detention
in Liberia (ibid.,paras. 64-75). The group buried a major arms cache
in Tasla, Liberia, which was discovered and destroyed in 2011.
Testimony from individuals in the group in 2011 indicated that they
had access to weapons in Liberia and had also buried weapons near
the Cavalla River in Cte dIvoire.
The Panel of Experts in its May 23, 2014 that there is strong evidence
that most of the combatants or aspiring combatants in this case
were Ivorians. It states that this evidence suggests that Liberians or
those with de facto dual nationality were the facilitators or low-level
managers tasked primarily with the critical function of gathering and
guiding the combatants to Cte dIvoire thus the cases of Hansen
Weah and Augustine Tweah exemplify this phenomenon.
According to witness statements taken by the national police and
obtained by the Panel, Hansen Weah was arrested on 10 February
2014, states the report.
He gave his name as Hansen Kapet Weah. He stated that he
was Ivorian, from Little Wlebo, and initially claimed to have no
knowledge of, or connection to, the other people arrested with him.
During his interrogation by the national police, however, his mobile
telephone rang. The national police offcer told Weah to answer it
using the speakerphone function. The caller, speaking in French,
instructed Weah not to take the individuals to Cte dIvoire because
the operation had been aborted because the national police were
arresting those involved.
The report notes that at one point, according to information it obtained
from the LNP, and Weahs witness statement, Weah began detailing
his involvement in the operation, which was to organize and gather up
individuals with the intention of attacking Cte dIvoire and facilitate
their movement from the areas surrounding the Little Wlebo camp to
Olodio, Cte dIvoire, where the militia would regroup and train
before attacking the Ivorian armed forces.
The panel states that considerable challenges to durable peace in
Liberia remain in the tightly interconnected sub-region, most acutely
along the border regions with its neighbors; in particular Cte
dIvoire adding that the post war nation has weak capacity to monitor
its borders with Cte dIvoire, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
The region bordering Cte dIvoire remains of particular concern
to the Panel because of the unresolved political and social issues in
that country, which have triggered deadly attacks by mercenary and
militia groups in the past, states the panel.
The attacks on Fete and Grabo, the arrests made in Liberia and the
subsequent handover of Ivorian refugees resident in Liberia to the
Government of Cte dIvoire highlight four main factors relating to
security along the border.


Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 7
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
Selma Lomax, selma.lomax@frontpageafricaonline.com
F
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NEWS EXTRA
F
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POLITICS
AID FOR LEPERS
Suakoko, Bong County
L
epers in Bong County
were happy that President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
took up time to identify
with them during a visit at the
Cuttington University.
"This is one of the greatest days
in our lives since we moved into
the Suakoko Leprosy Center over
20 years ago. Our president Mama
Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has listened
to our cries and provided 30 bags
of rice and other important items
and as a result of this, we can now
feed our families, said town Chief
John Yarkpawolo.
Yarkpawolo, town chief of the
settlement who is also a leper,
could not hide his joy over the
donation provided by the Liberian
leader.
Yarkpawolo, like other inhabitants
of the settlement, was full of
appreciation and gratitude to
president Johnson-Sirleaf for
coming to their aid for the
time being bringing an end to
the problems of food scarcity
being faced by residents of the
community.
The lepers along with their
children trooped at the entrance
of Cuttington University, with
placards of appealing inscriptions
to showcase their plights to the
Liberian leader who was visiting
the university to dedicate the Chief
Suakoko Women Center and
indeed their actions paid off.
Greeted with lepers upon arrival,
president Johnson-Sirleaf
promised to visit the leprosy camp
at the end of her visit at Cuttington.
The persons affected by leprosy at
Suakoko Leprosy Center have had
to contend with many challenges
as a result of their condition, but
food scarcity posed a serious
challenge over the years.
We have had problems with food
for the last four months and we
have cried and cried and cried, but
we never had anyone coming to
support us. So what the president
has done for us has given hope that
we are not totally forgotten, said
a leper within the colony.
The Suakoko Leprosy Center
situated in Suakoko district, a
few kilometers from the Phebe
hospital, was established by
missionaries about eight decades
ago to cater for patients affected
by leprosy in Bong County, but
patients who came to the area for
treatment almost three decades
ago, decided not to go back to
their various villages for fear
of discrimination, isolation and
stigmatization.
The leprosy patients,
FrontPageAfrica has gathered
were also provided with land
to carry out farming activities,
while they also engaged in animal
husbandry to sustain their families.
At the moment, there are over 500
inhabitants in the settlement.
However, with the increased
number of people living in the
settlement, the challenges of
having access to basic social
amenities became a serious issue,
especially because of alleged
neglect by the county leadership.
The inhabitants had been facing
serious diffculties in terms of food
for months and often times they
abandon the camp in order to fetch
for help which further worsens
their living conditions.
It was in view of the need to
alleviate some of their suffering
that the Liberian leader decided
to donate food and other essential
items in order to improve their
living conditions.
Speaking while presenting the
items, President Sirleaf said the
move to provide food to persons
affected by leprosy in Bong
County was to ease the suffering
and pains they had gone through
over the months due to lack of
basic necessities.
"As you are aware, people
discriminate against the leprosy
patients anytime they go outside
the settlement to fetch for food.
Thus, the essence of the food and
other items is to help ease the
constraints of lepers improve their
sanitation. This, we believe will
help to reduce the stigma they face
outside the colony," she said.
President Sirleaf urged the people
of the county to stop discrimination
against persons affected by leprosy
saying persons affected by leprosy
are normal human beings with
ailments that are curable, and
therefore should enjoy the support
of others in the society without
being discriminated against
She said that her administration
was committed to 'a country
without leprosy' by working
assiduously to change the negative
public perception about the
disease.
According to the Liberian leader,
her administration would not relent
in its sensitization campaigns to
end the stigmatization of people
living with leprosy and their family
members.
"We strongly believe that through
awareness campaign, the stigma
and discrimination against persons
affected by leprosy would be
reduced. So I am appealing to
the public not to stigmatize and
discriminate against persons
affected by leprosy since we all
have equal rights. I would rather
encourage you to join the campaign
against stigmatization and human
rights abuse of such persons and
their communities," she said.
Lepers grateful
In a remark, Steve Kennedy,
head of the Lepers, stated that the
provision of items to the lepers
would help address the problem
being faced by leprosy patients at
the Suakoko Leprosy Center.
He described the gesture as
unprecedented, stressing that the
president has brought hope to the
community with the provision of
the items.
Kennedy expressed dismay at
the way and manner persons
affected by leprosy were being
discriminated against by the
society and called on the people
of the county to stop stigmatizing
lepers, stressing that they are
normal human beings with an
ailment that was curable.
He advised persons affected by the
disease to persevere, reminding
them of the need to realize that
the disease was curable and not a
curse from God.
He said the president has wiped
the lepers tears by providing food
to the settlement. He noted that the
inhabitants of the settlement had
been going through diffculties in
the past year due to lack of food in
the area, adding that the donation
has brought the lepers relief.
He used the occasion to appeal
to organizations to come to the
lepers aid for the sustainability of
lives at the settlement.
Leprosy has ravaged humanity
for centuries. In the last two
decades, over 15 million people
worldwide have been cured of
leprosy. However, the age-old
social stigma associated with
leprosy lingers in many societies
and remains a major obstacle to
early treatment.
In Bong County, Leprosy patients
still face discrimination and
stigmatization by the community
where they live. They are not
accepted and accorded the respect
and regard of their peers as a result
of their physical deformities and
to a very large extent isolated from
their communities.
Experts said early detection and
effective treatment for leprosy
remains a solution to reduce
the impact of the disease on the
affected individuals.
Leprosy is a chronic infectious
disease that affects the peripheral
nerves, eyes, skin, upper
respiratory tract and nasal mucosa.
The disease widely spreads via the
respiratory system through nasal
droplets and is endemic in rural
communities in the county.
It was not until the introduction
of multidrug therapy (MDT) in
the early 1980s that the disease
could be diagnosed and treated
successfully in many counties in
Liberia.


Children of Lepers joined the parents during the peaceful strike Lepers who have spent over 20 years at the center were part of the strike
CDC'S TRIUMPH OF DEMOCRACY
Morlu-Led Committee Restores Calm In CDC Bong Chapter
Gbarnga, Bong County-
A
fter six years of
political quagmire,
the Bong County
chapter of the
opposition Congress for
Democratic Change (CDC)
has been repositioned after a
primary supervised by a fve-
man committee headed by
Mulbah Morlu, Vice President
for Operations of the party
ended peacefully.
Political observers who
witnessed the primary of the
party expressed that the party
is now suited for the beneft
of not only the generality
of CDC faithful but Bong
County as a whole whose love
and acceptance of the party
have grown from strength to
strength since the last election
in 2011.
Some partisans expressed that
that the feat of restoring order
in the Bong County chapter of
the CDC once and for all was
achieved due to the resilience
of Morlu who saw the need to
fght what they termed as those
who hijack party using cash.
That senatorial candidate
like Augustus Jonathan Flomo
was elected in free and fair
primaries on Saturday June 7,
2014 without the rancor and
acrimony that is associated
with other primaries conducted
by the party in the country is
seemingly a clear testimony
to the fact that peace has
once again returned to the
once turbulent Bong County
chapter of the CDC, hence
its presumptious readiness to
capture the senatorial seat it lost
in 2011 to Henry Yallah, said
one zealous CDC partisan..
Another Cdcians said the recent
primary was the frst time in
Bong County, a senatorial
primary election was held
without imposition by the so-
called godfather or godfathers,
using the principle of one-man-
one-vote as a platform.
It would be recalled that
godfatherism has been the bane
of Bong politics, a situation
that led to the loss of CDC
to the New Deal Movement
(NDC), one primary member
who did not want to be quoted
told FPA.
According to political
observers, it was worrisome
that the county which had
played and continues to play
a prime role in the formation
and fostering of CDC at the
national level was allowed
to be hijacked ceaselessly by
some cash-and-carry political
radiators masquerading as
godfathers.
This scenario, FrontPageAfrica
has learnt, had factionalized
the CDC, prompting the
emergence of Delino Kollie,
Vice Chair for Administration
and Aaron Larteh, Vice Chair
for Operations in Bong County.
However, acting on a wise
counsel and trying to forestall
a situation where the CDC
would lose the election in
2014 in the county because of
internal squabbles, the national
leadership of the party decided
to invoke a section of its
primaries which allowed it to
organize congress/congresses
or primaries for any county in
crisis.
Accordingly, this provision
that states inter alia: "The
national executive committee
shall formulate guidelines and
regulation for the nomination
for candidates for election into
public offces at all levels and
shall be the fnal authority for
resolving all disputes relating
to choice of candidates for the
party for any election and for
conveying to the NEC or any
other authority to whom it may,
confrming the names or list
of names of candidates of the
party in elective public offce",
was invoked to give impetus
for the conduct of the congress
and the senatorial primary by
the national headquarters.
Meanwhile, to ensure a free,
fair and smooth primary for
a county that has witnessed
rancorous primaries in the past,
the national secretariat of CDC
decided to select a fve-man
delegate made up of national
members, legislators as well as
CDC delegates.
According to party offcials,
this was carried out to nip
in the bud any accusation of
favoritism by any aspirant
and forestall claims and
counterclaims of qualifcation
or otherwise of certain
individuals as delegates.
Indeed, kudos should go to
the Morlu-led committee who
made up their minds to clean
the table by conducting for
the frst time a free and fair
primary in a county known for
its political turbulence.

Page 8 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
PHILADELPHIA
D
ont count on
the Liberian
governments most
wanted Bunny and
Clyde, charged by the country
as fugitive criminals and being
sought in a multi-million
dollars corruption scandal to
be packing their bags to return
to the West African nation any
time soon.
The pair, a U.S. Air Force pilot
Ellen Corkrum and Former
Georgia District judge Melvin
Johnson are fring back at
their accusers this week and
have threatened to release
one of the most damaging
voice recordings that will
drag President Ellen Johnson-
Sirleaf squarely in the middle
of the corruption allegations.
Judge Johnson, a Liberian-
American and the frst black
Chief Judge of Lithonia,
Georgia, told a packed
Philadelphia Church on
Sunday that Liberia has
not fle its well-publicized
indictment and request for
their extradition because the
Liberian government cannot
prove its own case against us.
US Lawyer on the case
But Steven M. Schneebaum,
the U.S. lawyer hired by the
Liberian government to push
the case against the pair in the
U.S, explains that the Liberian
Government fled request with
the U.S. Department of Justice
last year. The Department
has asked for a great deal of
additional information, of
which some has been and the
rest is being provided. It is
hoped that the submission will
be in fnal form within the next
two or three weeks.
Schneebaum has been hired
to ensure that the extradition
request is factually accurate
and consistent with the laws
of the United States, including
the 1939 treaty between the
two countries. Assuming that
the U.S. Justice Department
decides to proceed with the
extradition, I will work with
the Department to expedite the
proceedings, and to represent
the interests of the Government
of Liberia with the appropriate
United States Attorneys and
federal courts. In addition, I
have been asked to research
the question whether the
participation of Mr. Johnson
in the activities alleged in the
indictment would give rise to
issues related to his status as an
attorney in the United States.
In that connection, on behalf of
the Government of Liberia and
the Liberia Airport Authority,
I fled a grievance against
Mr. Johnson with the Georgia
State Bar on May 29. I believe
that the complaint will be
investigated by the appropriate
authorities.
~ THE ELLEN CORKUM SAGA ~
ELLEN CORKRUM AND FIANC MELVIN JOHNSON
ASKS LIBERIAN GOVERNMENT:
WHERE IS THE INDICTMENT?
Process Time Consuming
Schneebaum says once the
Department of Justice decides
to proceed with the request for
indictment, the fle will be sent
to the United States Attorneys
(chief federal prosecutors) for
the two judicial districts in
which the defendants reside
(in this case, the District of
Massachusetts in the case of
Ms. Corkrum, and the Northern
District of Georgia for Mr.
Johnson). Formal proceedings
will be opened in both federal
district courts, in which the
U.S. Attorney will represent
the Government of Liberia in
prosecuting the extradition.
Continued Schneebaum: This
process is time-consuming.
The suggestion recently
made by Mr. Johnson that
extraditions are completed in
one month or less has no basis
in fact. It should be noted that
a person is extradited to permit
the requesting state (in this case
Liberia) to determine whether
he or she is guilty as charged.
This means that, if they are
extradited by the United
States, Ms. Corkrum and Mr.
Johnson will be tried before a
jury in criminal proceedings.
But the extradition process
itself is civil, not criminal. It
will not be necessary for the
Government of Liberia to
prove to a U.S. judge beyond
a reasonable doubt that Ms.
Corkrum and/or Mr. Johnson
broke Liberian law.
But Johnson told Liberians in
Philadelphia last weekend that
there are three steps that lead to
an indictment and none has so
far been followed by Liberia.
If there is a complaint of
wrongdoing, the police will
investigate and fle a police
report to the governments
prosecutorial arm (the Ministry
of Justice). Then it will go
through a review process, and if
the minister of Justice believes
that it merits hearing, then he/
she will send it to the grand
jury. The grand jury will set up
a court-like process, where it
will also review the complaint
in full but within a limited 30-
day period. If the grand jury
agrees that the government has
a case, it will then fle charges.
So all the Liberian government
has to do is hand over a copy
of its grand jury charges to
the government of the United
States, if it has a case.
Johnson further noted that going
on nearly 500 days since the
Liberian government has been
claiming all these allegations
against he and Corkrum, they
have been served no papers
by the American government.
Ellen Corkrum is back on her
job in the military, so where is
the so-called indictment? he
wondered.
Releasing new bombshell
recording
As they await the Liberian
governments next move,
the couple are threatening to
release a potentially-damaging
voice recording of Liberias
internationally-acclaimed
President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf, implicating herself in a
web of fake probes and audits
in the RIA scandal with which
both Corkrum and Johnson
have so infamously become
synonymous.
According to Judge Johnson,
the voice records will be
released on Youtube and on
social media on July 15, for all
to hear and learn one more side
about their President. They
claimed the Liberian President
can be heard in the recording
clearly vindicating them while
at the same plotting a cover-
up in the long-running saga
that pits the pair against the
President and her government.
Ms. Corkrum and Mr. Johnson
are accused of economic
sabotage, theft of property,
criminal conspiracy, and
misapplication of entrusted
property. All of these are
violations of express provisions
of the Liberian Criminal Code.
In what they allege exposes the
Presidents corrupt character,
the accused alleged that the
Sirleaf family accepted over
$160 million in laundering
money from the Equatorial
Guinean dictator under the
guise that it was money for
the repairs of the Roberts
International Airport. But they
claimed that when they began
asking where is the money
because the airport was in need
of reshaping, President Sirleaf
decided it was time to let them
go.
Asked Corkrum: Where is
the $160 million dollars?
Said Melvin Johnson: There
is a recording of the President
that we made and that
recording will be available
on July 15 for all to hear on
Youtube and other services.
On that recording you will hear
President Sirleaf herself, in her
own voice talking about fxing
the investigation, and admitting
that she knows weve done
nothing wrong; admitting that
she has talked to the Board of
Directors about wanting us to
accept a deal where they will
pretend that an investigation
has been done to cover up their
interest at the same time clear
our names. Unfortunately for
her, she did not know we were
recording this conversation.
They both took the stage as
they inter-changeably told
their stories and their plan
to force President Johnsons
impeachment or resignation
through a peaceful, civil and
peoples actions.
Said Corkrum : For President
Sirleaf to have come up with
these false allegations, she
has picked on the wrong two
people. There have been many
times when such movements
have come about and people
get bribed with money and
so forth. The other day in
Minnesota somebody said oh
we heard the President coming
see you and give you money,
I said thats a lie because she
knows I will record her if she
comes with such things. Shes
not coming to give anything
because your signatures will
be heard. We already went
to the State Department in
Washington, the Justice
Department, they understand
what we doing, they understand
what the government is doing
against us as a people. We
cannot expect them to liberate
us when we say people invaded
our country, so we must be
responsible for our liberation.
Liberians have already been
signing for this signature drive,
weve gotten nearly 10,000
in Liberia, and we are not
even offcially launched. Your
signature is important because
this is what we will take around
to the various departments
within the United States,
United Nations, ECOWAS,
all the different bodies that
we know will have an effect.
Our Congress, or Legislature
should be the ones making the
needed effect in Liberia, and
we hope that theyll stand on
principle and that happen. So,
we are hoping this is the case
but in the absence of that we
have so many other recourse to
ensure that it does happen that
our people are liberated today.
Tearing Apart GOL Case
Johnson spent hours taking
apart the Liberian governments
accusations, informing the
crowd of how they they were
smuggled out of Liberia when
they learned of a plot by the
President to arrest us.
We get back to the Airport, and
found out that the government
offcials have turned off the
lights, theyve turned off the
water. Theres a guy in charge
of Airport security, he said




Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 9
I. Questions re the Spokesman
A. Who are you, and how did you
get involved in this case?
I am an international lawyer,
practicing law in Washington
for more than 35 years. I was
asked by President Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf to monitor the request for
extradition of Ellen Corkrum and
Melvin Johnson, transmitted to the
Government of the United States
by the Government of Liberia in
September 2013.
I have followed political and legal
developments in Liberia since the
mid-1980s. In 1986, I participated
in an international delegation of
observers attending the trial in
Monrovia of James Holder and
Robert Philips for treason. I have
known Her Excellency since those
years.
I was educated at Yale and
Oxford Universities, among
others (graduating from both
with high honors), and I have
three masters degrees: two in law
and one in philosophy. I have
taught international legal topics
at Catholic, American, George
Washington, Cornell, and Oxford
Universities, and have been on the
adjunct faculty of the School of
Advanced International Studies,
Johns Hopkins University, since
1990.
B. What exactly is your role?
My task is to ensure that the
extradition request is factually
accurate and consistent with the
laws of the United States, including
the 1939 treaty between the two
countries. Assuming that the
U.S. Justice Department decides
to proceed with the extradition,
I will work with the Department
to expedite the proceedings,
and to represent the interests of
the Government of Liberia with
the appropriate United States
Attorneys and federal courts.
In addition, I have been asked to
research the question whether the
participation of Mr. Johnson in the
activities alleged in the indictment
would give rise to issues related
to his status as an attorney in the
United States. In that connection,
on behalf of the Government of
Liberia and the Liberia Airport
Authority, I fled a grievance
against Mr. Johnson with the
Georgia State Bar on May 29. I
believe that the complaint will be
investigated by the appropriate
authorities.
C. What is the gist of the Bar
complaint?
We reported to the Georgia State
Bar the facts of Mr. Johnsons
involvement in the crimes
alleged by the grand jury. It is a
violation of the applicable codes
of professional conduct for a
lawyer to engage in fraudulent or
deceitful conduct. In addition,
there is evidence that Mr. Johnson
was involved in the clandestine
taping of conversations with
Liberian Government ministers
and other offcials. Such recording
of a person without his or her
permission is a criminal offense in
Liberia, just as it is in many States
of the United States. Mr. Johnson
also received Government money
for rendering professional legal
advice, while not being qualifed
as a Member of the Bar of Liberia.
In our view, this constitutes the
unauthorized practice of law,
which is illegal. The investigation
of these allegations may lead to
discipline, including disbarment.
II. Questions re the Indictment
A. What are the crimes Corkrum
'ENSURING EXTRADITION'
MEET THE LAWYER ON THE CORKRUM-JOHNSON CASE
and Johnson are accused of having
committed?
Ms. Corkrum and Mr. Johnson are
accused of economic sabotage,
theft of property, criminal
conspiracy, and misapplication of
entrusted property. All of these are
violations of express provisions of
the Liberian Criminal Code.
B. Specifcally, what does the
Government claim that they did
that was wrong?
A grand jury in Liberia returned
three counts against Ms. Corkrum,
and one against Mr. Johnson.

In the frst count, it is alleged that
Ms. Corkrum retained a consulting
frm owned and run by a friend
of hers to do emergency work at
Roberts International Airport. The
frm Diaspora Consulting LLP
was retained without following
any of the proper procedures for
public procurements in Liberia,
and without disclosure even to
the Board of the LAA itself. And
Ms. Corkrum apparently, and
again without authority, made a
commitment to pay Diaspora many
hundreds of thousands of dollars.
There is no evidence that Diaspora
ever made any constructive
contribution to the desperately
needed repairs to Roberts Field.
Indeed, the necessary work was
ultimately done by NACO, a Dutch
company, at a price far below the
one apparently agreed between
Ms. Corkrum and her friend.
In the second count, the grand
jury alleges that Ms. Corkrum and
Mr. Johnson together arranged for
LAA funds to be transferred to him
for work in connection with the
security system at RIA. There is
no evidence that Mr. Johnson was
qualifed to do that kind of work, or
that he ever actually performed it.
Moreover, there is again no paper
trail, and no record of compliance
with the laws and regulations in
Liberia that are in place to deter
corruption and the unaccountable
misuse of public funds.
Finally, the third count outlines a
scheme by which Ms. Corkrum
received cash from the LAA Board
to purchase electronic equipment
that she ultimately did not deliver
to its intended (and approved)
recipients.
C. Are the alleged crimes political
in nature?
Absolutely not. The crimes of
which Ms. Corkrum and Mr.
Johnson are accused had to do with
the diversion of public property of
the Government and citizens of
Liberia into their own hands and
the hands of their friends.
D. Where does the indictment
request stand?
The Government fled the request
with the U.S. Department of Justice
last year. The Department has
asked for a great deal of additional
information, of which some has
been and the rest is being provided.
It is hoped that the submission will
be in fnal form within the next two
or three weeks.
E. What is the procedure after
that?
If the Department of Justice
decides to proceed with the request
for indictment, the fle will be sent
to the United States Attorneys
(chief federal prosecutors) for the
two judicial districts in which the
defendants reside (in this case,
the District of Massachusetts in
the case of Ms. Corkrum, and the
Northern District of Georgia for
Mr. Johnson). Formal proceedings
will be opened in both federal
district courts, in which the
U.S. Attorney will represent
the Government of Liberia in
prosecuting the extradition.
This process is time-consuming.
The suggestion recently made by
Mr. Johnson that extraditions are
completed in one month or less has
no basis in fact.
It should be noted that a person is
extradited to permit the requesting
state (in this case Liberia) to
determine whether he or she is
guilty as charged. This means
that, if they are extradited by the
United States, Ms. Corkrum and
Mr. Johnson will be tried before a
jury in criminal proceedings. But
the extradition process itself is
civil, not criminal. It will not be
necessary for the Government of
Liberia to prove to a U.S. judge
beyond a reasonable doubt that
Ms. Corkrum and/or Mr. Johnson
broke Liberian law.
III. Questions re the Defenses
A. Are Ms. Corkrum and Mr.
Johnson whistle-blowers who
discovered corruption in the
Johnson Sirleaf administration and
are now being punished for it?
This suggestion is nonsense. This
is certainly not the frst time nor
will it be the last that a person
caught having committed a crime
tries to make himself or herself out
to be someone interested in trying
to root out or to prevent that very
kind of criminal activity.
Liberian public procurement is
subject to certain kinds of controls
to prevent the unauthorized
diversion of what belongs to
the Liberian people. Those
controls may seem complex and
bureaucratic at times, just as similar
controls sometimes cumbersome
seem in Washington or Brussels
or Tokyo. What Ms. Corkrum did
as Managing Director of the LAA
making fnancial commitments
to friends without getting
approval, without having contracts
vetted, and without any kind of
scrutiny of the qualifcations of
the proposed contractors is a
perfect illustration of why those
regulations are in place and why it
is important that they be observed.
Ms. Corkrum is not a crusader who
discovered corruption and reported
it: according to the grand jury, she
was engaged in corruption.
B. Havent Ms. Corkrum and Mr.
Johnson had distinguished careers
in the United States?
It appears that Ms. Corkrum
has attended very prestigious
educational institutions in the
U.S., and has served with different
branches of the U.S. military. Mr.
Johnson is a lawyer and was, until
his recent dismissal, a municipal
court judge in Georgia. But the
grand jury was not tasked with
judging them as people, or with
looking at their accomplishments
in life. It was asked to decide
whether there was probable cause
that they committed certain crimes.
And the grand jury, based on the
evidence, answered that question
in the affrmative.
C. Dont the tapes of conversations
with high Liberian government
offcials show a pattern of
corruption?
They do not. But before answering
that question further, let me repeat
that in Liberia, as in many States
in the U.S., it is illegal to tape a
conversation without the consent
of the person being recorded. The
taping that Ms. Corkrum and Mr.
Johnson claim that they carried out
is a criminal act.
That said, there is no evidence
of corruption on the tapes. What
the tapes do reveal is an effort to
be sympathetic, supportive, and
understanding toward a colleague
who is being investigated by legal
authorities. This is a completely
natural response. There is no
suggestion on the tapes that
anyone has been offered illegal
compensation, or that any senior
fgure in the Johnson Sirleaf
administration has engaged in,
or has personal knowledge of,
corruption.
D. Why does the Government of
Liberia assign such importance to
this case?
It is no secret that the Government
had held great hope in the possibility
that Ellen Corkrum would be part
of the revival of the Liberian state.
The President herself invested in
this relationship, believing that
an accomplished daughter of
Liberia could be part of the effort
to which this administration is
committed. It is unfortunate that
events made clear that these hopes
were to be dashed. However,
maintaining the rule of law is
more important than personal
loyalty. The Government and the
President take no pleasure in this
prosecution. But it is necessary
to demonstrate the principle for
which this administration stands:
no one is above the law, and
everyone is required to share a
commitment to respecting the law.
Liberias recent history shows all
too well what happens when that
commitment is dishonored.
IV. Questions re the Outcome
A. Where does the Government
want this case to end?
The Government has faith in the
independence and the wisdom of
its judicial system and offcers.
It wants nothing more than for
justice to be done: Ellen Corkrum
and Melvin Johnson should be
returned to Liberia to stand trial on
the charges brought against them.
The State will present evidence
of their guilt, and they and their
lawyers will present a defense. The
Government of Liberia believes
that the adversarial process will
lead to a just outcome.
B. Ultimately, is this a legal case,
or is it about personal feelings?
This case is about the law, and
the application of the law to the
facts. These two individuals are
accused of serious crimes which,
were they emulated and were they
to go unpunished, would set a tone
inconsistent with the spirit and
commitment of the Johnson Sirleaf
administration. The Government
of Liberia is a government of laws,
not of people. The ability of such
a commitment to survive is the
central issue of this prosecution.

~ THE ELLEN CORKUM SAGA ~
they have threatened him to
compromise our security.
We get to the Airport its in
the evening, he calls us and
says government offcials just
came here they threatened
me that I need to compromise
and sabotage yall. Yall need
to leave here, its not safe for
you, alleged Johnson.
Johnson added: We leave
Robertsfeld, we get back to
Monrovia. We go to Monrovia,
as God would have it we get
a call from Chris Massaquoi.
Hes the Director of Police for
the whole country. He tells us
to come to his house. We go to
his house; we dont even know
whats going on. This is how
good God is. We get to Chris
Massaquois house, he says
whats going on? I said Mr.
Director youre the Director
of Police, you tell me whats
going on. In fact Im not going
to tell you whats going on, call
your director of security at the
Airport ask him to tell you what
he just told me what youre
your government is doing to
us. He calls the director of
airport security and the director
of airport security tells him
yes, government offcials came
in here, they threatened me,
they did such and such things
to these people and its not safe
for them, claimed Johnson
Johnson alleged: This is
when Chris Massaquio says I
cant do this. Then I said Mr.
Director what are you talking
about? Thats when he reveals
to us that the President has just
ordered a high-level security
meeting including him, NSA,
Immigration and other security
offcers. In that meeting,
because she has heard that we
have been recording.
Massaquoi Defed President,
Johnson says
Corkrum interjected: Not
only had she heard that weve
been recording, weve released
a recording at a radio station in
Monrovia, I think a day or two
before.
Continued Melvin Johnson:
The Director of Police
explained to us that the
President had ordered him
to capture us, to make sure
we didnt leave the country.
Then he tells us that based on
what he knows now and based
on him talking to the other
offcials, including the security
at the airport that hes not
going to follow the Presidents
order, and hes going to help us
to escape immediately. He told
us you cannot go back and get
any cloths --- the cloths that are
on your backs --- you have to
leave Liberia; you have to leave
right now. Because Im not the
only one who has been ordered
to capture you. In fact he says
that the President told the
director of immigration (Name
mentioned) that because shes
in charge of all the borders as
chief of immigration, that if
we leave Liberia she is fred.
Fortunately for us when we
left, unfortunately for her shes
no longer the immigration
director. All the refugees that
return from Buduburam Camp
when they come to Monrovia,
shes in charge of distributing
food to them. Thats the reality.
So, we left Liberia, we were
helped by Chris Massaquio
and others to leave. We were
smuggled through the border,
then to Freetown and then
London, then to the U.S. Six
months, six months after we
leave its when the government
came out with the indictment.
Corkrum explained the
rationale behind the release
of secretly-taped recording,
stating: I want to say that
people wonder why are we
releasing these recordings on
Director Massaquoi, Defense
Minister and so forth. I
understand those who will
be asking the question why
you will ask. But we need to
give them more credit. These
men stood up in the face of
adversity, and even faced with
those decisions, they are a
part of the story. Because if
we were just telling you this
and we didnt release all what
they said, it would be they
say; or you say and I say, and
who should believe who said
what? Because you heard
their voices; It authenticates
what were telling you. In the
midst of that, theyre men of
courage, they spoke, and for
Chris Massaquoi to defy the
orders that he got from the
president, but you know God
is a wonderful God. When
God is behind you I dont care
what president or what nation,
whatever orders they come
down with, it is Gods orders
that will be followed and its
Gods order that will prevail.
Johnson and Corkrum say they
are on a nine-city U.S. tour
drumming up citizens support
to pressure President Sirleaf to
step down civilly.

Page 10 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
This is to inform the public that a three
bedroom house, with a garage, is up for
rent or lease. The house is located behind
Aqua Life in the Red Hills community.
Interested persons can call 0886519520,
0880529073 or 0776236528.
HOUSE FOR LEASE
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 11
IFBNO./NEC/SSE/NCB/001/2013/2014
INVITATION FOR BIDS (PRINTING, BINDING & PUBLICATIONS)
The Government of Liberia through the National Elections Commission
(NEC), intends to apportion funds toward the cost of procuring printing,
binding & Publications Services for the Special Senatorial Election IFB
No./NEC/SSE/NCB/001/2013/2014.
1. The Commission now invites qualifed and eligible bidders to submit
sealed bids for the provision of Printing, Binding & Publication Services
under the 2014 Special Senatorial Election Project which will be conducted
through National Competitive Bidding (NCB) procedures as specifed in
the Amended and Restated Public Procurement and Concessions Act and is
opened to all eligible and qualifed bidders.
2. The supply of Printing Services as per NEC requirements are listed
below per lot:

Lot Item Quantity Delivery Date

1. PRINTING OF POSTERS & FLYERS
Printing of A2 Posters 15,000 Pcs As per contract
Printing of A3 Posters 15,000 Pcs As per contract
Printing of A4 Flyers 5,000 Pcs As per contract
2. PRINTING OF STICKERS & BANNERS
Printing of 2x4 Stickers 3,500 Pcs As per contract
Printing of 3x6 Stickers 3,500 Pcs As per contract
Printing of 4x8 Stickers 5,000 Pcs As per contract
Printing of Banners 60 Pcs As per contract
3. PRINTING OF T-SHIRTS & CAPS
Printing of T-Shirt and Caps 367 Pcs As per contract
4. PRINTING OF ASSORTED FORMS
Replacement Card Handover Forms 500 Pcs As per contract
VR Card Replacement Forms 10,000 Pcs As per contract
VR Replacement Handover Forms 100 Pcs As per contract
Nominations Assorted Forms 6500 Pcs As per contract
5. PRINTING OF BOOKLETS & MANUALS
Replacement Training Forms R-01 1,000 Booklets As per contract
Replacement Manuals 500 Booklets As per contract
VR Card Replacement Booklets 3,000 Booklets As per contract
Nominations Procedure Manuals 200 Booklets As per contract



3. Interested bidders should have the capacity to retain supply of
Printing Services valid for the period of the Project. Must also be able to
respond to NECS schedule of supply. All bids prices should be quoted in
United States Dollars (USD).
4. Qualifcations requirements include the follow:
CURRENT BUSINESS REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE
CURRENT TAX CLEARANCE
PAST PERFORMANCE HISTORY WITH AT LEAST THREE (3)
REFERENCES
AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR ATLEAST ONE (1)
OF THE LAST TWO YEARS.
AVAILABILITY OF SUPPLY AT ALL TIMES.
CAPACITY TO DO AT LEAST (30) THIRTY DAYS PRE-FINANCE
OF SUPPLY.
5. Complete set of bidding documents in English and other pertinent
information may be obtained from the offce of the Director of Procurement,
National Elections Commission Ground Floor Room 73 for a non-refundable
fee of Fifty United States Dollars (U.S. $50.00).
6. Submissions must be clearly marked, signed and sealed in an
envelope, including other requested information as follows:
CONFIDENTIAL BID, PROVISION FOR THE SUPPLY OF PRINTING
SERVICES and addressed to:
THE DIRECTOR OF PROCUREMENT
GROUND FLOOR, ROOM 73
National Elections Commission
9th / 10th Streets Sinkor
1000 MONROVIA 10, LIBERIA
MOBILE NUMBER: +231-886-603-336
7. Bids must be submitted at the NEC Procurement Unit located at
the Ground Floor of the main NEC building on Thursday, June 26, 2014,
on or before 2:00 PM. Late bids will be rejected and returned unopened.
Electronic Bidding will not be permitted. Opening will be done promptly
after closing at 2: 00 PM, June 26, 2014, in the Conference Room of the
National Elections Commission.
8. Bids will be opened in the presence of bidders representatives who
choose to attend on Thursday, June 26, 2014.
9. The National Elections Commission reserves the right to reject
or accept any bid submitted and to annul the process at any time without
incurring any liability and without assigning any reason therefore; invitation
to Bid and Award of Contract will be issued to qualifed bidders in accordance
with Public Procurement Procedures.
Signed: ____________________________________
National Elections Commission
Page 12 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 13
REGULATOR STILL IN LACC DRAGNET
Commission on Higher Education Director General long Corruption tale
IN BRIEF
CHARGES FILED IN
SEATTLE CAMPUS
SHOOTING
5 US TROOPS KILLED
BY FRIENDLY FIRE IN
AFGHANISTAN
DEFYING RUSSIAN
WARNINGS, MOLDOVA AND
GEORGIA HEAD FOR EU PACT

SEATTLE (AP)
P
rosecutors have fled
murder and attempted
murder charges against
the man accused of
killing one person and wounding
two others in a shooting at
Seattle Pacifc University.
King County prosecutor Dan
Satterberg said Tuesday that
26-year-old Aaron Ybarra of
Mountlake Terrace will face one
count of frst-degree murder and
two counts of attempted murder
in the frst degree.
Satterberg said the sentencing
range for the charges is 69 to 86
years in prison, but authorities
will seek an exceptional
sentence of life in prison.
Ybarra was pepper-sprayed and
wrestled to the foor by a student
security monitor and held for
police offcers responding to
Thursday's shooting.
CHISINAU/TBILISI (Reuters) -
U
ndeterred by the
confict triggered
by Ukraine's swing
towards Europe,
the former Soviet republics of
Moldova and Georgia will sign a
trade and political pact with the
European Union this month with
Russia warning both countries
against the move.
The two small countries - Moldova
has a population of just over 3.5
million and Georgia 4.5 million -
see the signing of an association
agreement as the crucial step
towards mainstream Europe,
leading to eventual membership of
the powerful EU trading bloc.
But, as has been shown by their
regional neighbor Ukraine, Russia
sees their westward move further
away from Moscow's sphere of
infuence as a geo-political setback
that could threaten its markets too.
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)
F
ive American troops were
killed in an apparent
coalition airstrike in
southern Afghanistan,
offcials said Tuesday, in one of
the worst friendly fre incidents
involving United States and
coalition troops since the start of
the nearly 14 year war.
The U.S.-led international coalition
said the service members were
killed in an apparent friendly fre
incident, which an Afghan offcial
said was an airstrike in southern
Zabul province. A statement said
all fve soldiers died on Monday
but did not give further details.
"Five American troops were
killed yesterday during a security
operation in southern Afghanistan.

F
RONT
PAGE
WORLD NEWS
SHRINKING THE MARKET
Washington (AFP) -
A
US law, and efforts
by technology
frms, have helped
limit the use of
"confict minerals" from Africa
for consumer electronics,
according to a report released
Tuesday.
The report by the Enough
Project activist group said that
armed groups responsible for
atrocities in the Democratic
Republic of Congo and
surrounding areas have now
ceded control of two-thirds of
mines in the region producing
tantalum, tin, and tungsten.
"Our research found that
electronics companies are
expanding their responsible
minerals sourcing from Congo,
and Congolese miners are now
able to earn 40 percent more
from those mines, said Sasha
Lezhnev of the Enough Project.
Lezhnev said mines formerly
controlled by warlords "are
now part of peaceful supply
chains.
The report said that as a result
of these efforts it is "much less
economically viable for armed
groups and Congo's army" to
proft from these minerals.
But the researchers said that
more efforts are needed "to
address confict gold and
close loopholes on the other
minerals" which can be used
by armed factions.
The report credits market
changes spurred by the 2010
Dodd-Frank law on confict
minerals, which required many
US frms to audit and report the
use of these minerals.
According to Enough Project,
these minerals were previously
generating an estimated $185
million per year for armed
groups and the army.
The report said the Dodd-Frank
law and electronics industry
audits have created a "two-tier
market" for the "3T" minerals


-- tin, tantalum, and tungsten --
which means that minerals that
do not go through confict-free
programs now sell for 30 to 60
percent less.
"As businesses begin to comply
with Dodd-Frank, they are
requiring suppliers to conduct
confict-free audits and trace
the sources of their minerals
much more carefully," the
report said.
"This has shrunk markets for
untraceable confict minerals.
Minerals that are not from
verifed confict-free 3T mines
sell for less than confict-free
minerals."
The report pointed out that
Apple has certifed its supply
of tantalum -- a key mineral
for mobile electronics -- as
confict-free and that Intel "is
producing the world's frst
fully confict-free product
that contains clean Congolese
minerals."
The report noted that a handful
of companies such as Intel,
Hewlett-Packard, Apple, and
around a dozen others led
industry efforts before the
passage of the law, setting
up auditing systems to weed
out confict minerals from
their supply chains, but that
the Dodd-Frank law helped
hundreds of others reduce or
eliminate the use of confict
minerals.
BOKO HARAM ABDUCTED AT LEAST 20 YOUNG
MOTHERS IN NEW KIDNAPPING ATTACK
MOSUL FALLS TO MILITANTS, IRAQI
FORCES FLEE NORTHERN CITY


A
t least 20, and
possibly as many as
40, young mothers
and three men have
been kidnapped in Nigeria, in
a siege likely perpetrated by
Boko Haram. The victims were
nabbed near Chibok, the same
town which saw 300 schoolgirls
kidnapped in April.
A member of a local vigilante
group told Agence France-Presse
that "available information
revealed that the gunmen came
around noon [on Saturday] and
abducted 20 women and three
young men left to keep watch
on the village... all the males in
the settlement were away in the
bush with their herd (of cattle)
for grazing when the abductors
came to the village."
Another offcial, from the
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders
Association of Nigeria, said
the kidnappers took 40 young
women from the nomadic
community. The offcial told
AFP that kidnappings for ransom
were not uncommon, saying
"they come and go door-to-door
bringing women outside and
select young women and take
them away in their vehicles and
demand between 30 and 40 cows
for their release." Usually, he
said, the ransom is flled and the
women returned, but authorities
are not notifed for fear that the
militants will retaliate.
US law has helped limit 'confict minerals': study
MOSUL, Iraq (Reuters) -
A
n al-Qaeda splinter
group in Iraq seized
control of the big
northern city of
Mosul on Tuesday, putting
security forces to fight in a
spectacular show of strength
against the Shi'ite-led Baghdad
government.
The capture of the city of some
two million by the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL), Sunni Muslims waging
sectarian war on both sides of
the nearby Iraqi-Syrian border,
adds to its grip on key western
cities and followed four days
of heavy fghting in Mosul and
surrounding Nineveh province.
The United States, which
pulled out its troops two and
a half years ago, pledged to
help Iraq leaders "push back
against this aggression" as
the government of Prime
Minister Nuri al-Maliki asked
parliament to declare a state of
emergency.
But the battle, for the time
being, seemed to be over, with
police discarding uniforms
and weapons and feeing a city
where the black fag of ISIL
was fying over government
buildings.
"We have lost Mosul this
morning," said a colonel at a
local military command center.
"Army and police forces
left their positions and ISIL
terrorists are in full control.
"Its a total collapse of the
security forces."
A Reuters reporter saw
the bodies of soldiers and
policemen, some mutilated,
littering the streets.
"We can't beat them. We can't.
They are well trained in street
fghting and we're not. We
need a whole army to drive
them out of Mosul," one offcer
told Reuters. "They're like
ghosts: they appear, strike and
disappear in seconds."
The fall of Mosul, a largely
Sunni Arab city after years of
ethnic and sectarian fghting,
deals a serious blow to
Baghdad's efforts to fght Sunni
militants who have regained
ground and momentum in
Iraq over the past year, taking
Falluja and parts of Ramadi, in
the desert west of Baghdad at
the start of the year.
Page 14 |
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
CROATIA ARE THE MOST IN-FORM TEAM OF ANY GOING
TO BRAZIL THEY COULD MATCH 1998 GENERATION
ECUADOR WILL BE AS FIT AS ANY SIDE IN BRAZIL
AND LOOK OUT FOR ENNER VALENCIA
1 Days to go: All the action leading up the Brazil
COUNTDOWN WORLD CUP



Aside from a couple of minor issues, Croatia are fortunate to have
no real injury or stamina concerns going into the World Cup
Aside from a couple of minor issues, Croatia are fortunate to have
no real injury or stamina concerns going into the World Cup
By Ivan Ivkovic, World Cup
Nation: Croatia
I
t is almost frightening
to look at all the injury
and fatigue problems
that most of the World
Cup squads are forced to deal
with. It is hard to imagine we
will be looking at Cristiano
Ronaldo, Lionel Messi or Luis
Suarez at their best during the
tournament, as the long and
exhausting season has cost
them dearly. The Croatian
squad does not appear to have
those kinds of problems except
for the left-back position.
That position is bad news, but
looking at the other national
teams, there is plenty to be
happy about for Niko Kova.
The bad news frst it has been
confrmed that Ivan Strinic, of
Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, will
miss the tournament. He is
by no means a star player for
Croatia but his absence does
hurt Kova as he was the only
reliable solution at left-back. A
possible alternative is Danijel
Pranji, a player once capable
of playing left wing-back, but
nowadays he is a player mostly
used in the centre of midfeld.
He occupied the left-back
position during the last
friendly Croatia played against
Switzerland and allowed
Stephen Lichsteiner to roam
freely down the wing. For
those with a longer memory,
Theo Walcott's only hat-trick
for England was scored in
Maksimir, when Pranji was
supposedly the man marking
him.
The possibility of switching to
3-5-2 makes things even more
diffcult, as neither Pranjic
nor Darijo Srna are at their
physical peak, and the wing-
back position could prove to be
a diffcult challenge for both of
them.
The solution should probably
be Vedran orluka, once a
full-back, having shown recent
form for Lokomotiv Moscow,
although deployed at centre-
back. Most Croatian fans will
remember his great game at left-
back during the play-off fxture
in Istanbul and the 3-0 triumph
over Turkey two years ago. He
is not a left-footed player and
his mobility is an issue, but it
seems he is a possible solution
to the problem, with Gordon
Schildenfeld (a centre-back
playing for Panathinaikos)
pairing up with Dejan Lovren
in the centre of the defence.
Almost everything else is good
news for Croatia, considering
the form and the physical state
of the players. Almost all the
key players have performed
admirably for the entire season,
or at least at the end of it.
Luka Modri has mastered the
playmaker role and inserted
himself as a key fgure of the
Real Madrid midfeld. Ivan
Rakiti is probably the best La
Liga player out of the ranks
of Real, Atletico Madrid or
Barcelona, having led his team
to Europa League glory. Mario
Manduki ended his season
badly, but his ability is well-
known. Even Pep Guardiola
admitted he has the best
header in the world.
Ivica Oli, together with Ivan
Perii, could not stop scoring
for Wolfsburg and almost led
the team to fourth place in the
Bundesliga. The same thing
can also be said for Eduardo
and Srna, the Shakhtar duo,
who played key roles at the end
of the campaign.
Not much has gone wrong
for Lovren, probably the
best defensive acquisition of
the Premier League season,
or for Schildenfeld, who
enjoyed a solid campaign with
Panathinaikos. Mateo Kovai
ended the season as a frst-team
regular at Inter Milan, again
showing just how naturally
gifted he is.
All in all, looking at the other
squads going to Brazil, Croatia
probably have the best in-form
team, with no real injury or
stamina problems. If Kova can
sort out a few problems (left-
back, wingers, Manduki's
absence against Brazil), Croatia
may even be able to match the
accomplishment of the 1998
generation.
By Xoel J Crdenas, World
Cup Nation: Ecuador
L
a Tri are heading to
the third World Cup
in their history.
Manager Reinaldo
Rueda.
The Colombian leads a team to
the World Cup for the second
consecutive tournament, as
he managed Honduras in
South Africa 2010. Rueda will
announce his 23-man squad
after June 2.
Style
Counterattacking and physical,
the biggest plays come from
the wings.
Strengths
The forwards are young, quick,
and physical. They have great
endurance, partly because they
live and train at high altitude
in Ecuador, and they will not
be too unsettled by the hot
Brazilian weather.
Midfelders Christian Noboa
and Segundo Castillo bring
experience to the starting
XI, with Castillo acting as a
sweeper to support the defence
at times.
Attacking on the wings through
Antonio Valencia and Jefferson
Montero is where Ecuador
will look to cause opponents
problems. Youngsters Fidel
Martnez and Enner Valencia
will support the attackt hrough
the middle of the pitch, and
Felipe Caicedo will be the
main striker .
Weaknesses
Ecuador's central defenders
are not Vincent Kompany or
Thiago Silva.
They lack speed, are not as
physical as their midfeld
players and forwards, and
are not very tall; at 6ft 3in,
Frickson Erazo is the team's
tallest centre-back.
The centre of defence is one
of, if not, the biggest concerns.
Any team in Group E can
expose this, especially France.
The veteran left-back Walter
Ayov still plays at a quality
level. But at 34, he can now
be beaten by young forwards
fying at him and can be a
liability in the back line.
If he struggles, a solution could
be bring in young defender
Cristian Ramrez to left-
back, the position he plays
for Fortuna Dsseldorf in
Germany.
Key Player Antonio Valencia
The Manchester United wing is
the captain, and will be playing
in his second World Cup.
Unlike at United, Valencia
will look to cut into the box
instead of putting in crosses.
Look for Valencia to move into
the middle of the attack when
he has the ball, and right-back
Juan Carlos Paredes to move
forward to support the attack
on the right fank.
One to Watch Enner Valencia
Position: Forward. Club:
Pachuca (Mexico). Ecuador's
rising young star and La Tri's
replacement in the country's
affections for the late Christian
Chucho Bentez, who died in
2013 at the age of just 27.
Valencia led the Mexican
Clausura in goals, and helped
lead Pachuca to the fnal. He
will try and be the playmaker in
the middle of Ecuador's attack
and he has the skill, speed and
quality that may make him one
of the breakout young stars in
Brazil.
Projected Starting XI (4-4-2)
Goalkeeper Alexander
Domnguez (Liga de Quito)
Age: 26
Right back Juan Carlos Paredes
(Barcelona S.C.)26
Centre-back Jorge Guagua
(Emelec) 32
Centre-back Frickson Erazo
(Flamengo) 26
Left-back Walter Ayov
(Pachuca) 34
Midfeld Segundo Castillo (Al-
Hilal) 31
Midfeld Christian Noboa
(Dynamo Moscow) 29
Left-midfeld/left wing
Jefferson Montero (Morelia)
24
Right-midfeld/right wing
Antonio Valencia (Manchester
United) 28
Forward Enner Valencia
(Pachuca) 24
Forward Felipe Caicedo (Al-
Jazira) 25
Group E Fixtures
Sunday, June 15 Switzerland
(Braslia)
Friday, June 20 Honduras
(Curitiba)
Wednesday, June 25 France
(Rio de Janeiro)
Outlook and Prediction
Ecuador's frst game gainst
Switzerland is without question
the biggest game for La Tri.
France will be very diffcult to
beat, while Honduras should be
beatable.
Four points may be enough to
help La Tri move on, and the
winner on June 15 will more
than likely join France in going
through.
I expect Ecuador to fnish
second in Group E, and
advance to the knockout stage
for the second time in their
history.
Their World Cup will end there
as they would more than likely
face Lionel Messi's Argentina
in the round of 16.
Frontpage
Wednesday, June 11, 2014 Page 15
INJURY FEARS
Ivory Coast sweat over Yaya Toures ftness, but buoyed by form of Didier Drogba
Sports
SPORT BRIEF
ETO'O A SHOCK
TARGET FOR ROBERTO
MARTINEZ AS TOFFEES
CHASE FORMER
CHELSEA STRIKER
E
verton are hoping
to beat Arsenal to
the the signature
of 33-year-old
Cameroon striker Samuel
Eto'o.
The former Barcelona and
Inter Milan hitman is without
a club are Jose Mourinho
decided not to extend his year-
long stay at Chelsea.
According to Italian website
Tuttomercatoweb, Toffees
boss Roberto Martinez has
made Etoo one of his main
targets.
Etoo, who scored 14 goals
for the Blues last term,
wants to stay in England and
is rumoured to be a target
for Arsene Wenger, who is
looking for back-up to frst
choice Olivier Giroud.
BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil -
S
hortly after coming on
as a second-half sub in
Argentina's last World
Cup warm-up, Lionel
Messi doubled over and appeared
to vomit on the pitch.
He's done it at least a half-dozen
times with Argentina and club
team Barcelona, mystifying
doctors and fans alike.
"Nerves," says Argentina coach
Alejandro Sabella, and that's a
diagnosis as good as any.
The Argentina captain and four-
time world player of the year is
under tremendous pressure to
lead the Albiceleste to its frst
World Cup trophy since 1986.
A
tletico Madrid are
closing in on a deal to
sign Chelsea striker
Romelu Lukaku as
part of the transfer that will see
Diego Costa go the other way.
Lukaku is wanted by a number
of clubs across Europe, including
Tottenham, Everton, Roma
and Juventus, but Chelseas
negotiations with Atletico over
a 50m switch for Costa and left
back Filipe Luis has put Atletico
in a strong bargaining position.
The Belgium international, who
joined from Anderlecht for a
deal worth up to 18m in 2011,
has spent the last two seasons on
loan at West Brom and Everton
respectively, scoring 33 goals.
ATLETICO MADRID ON
VERGE OF ROMELU LUKAKU
DEAL AS DIEGO COSTA
HEADS FOR CHELSEA
MESSI'S TENDENCY
TO VOMIT MYSTIFIES
COACHES, FANS

T
he Elephants of the
Ivory Coast walk
into the World Cup
as arguably Africas
biggest hope.
With Colombia billed as Group
C favourites, Ivory Coasts clash
with Japan is key for momentum
as they seek to establish the
upper-hand in the race for the
runners-up spot.
Coach Sabri Lamouchis
preparations for the the
tournament have been hampered
by concerns over the match
sharpness of regulars in his
starting XI,
Sol Bamba, one of the frst-
choice centre-halves, hasnt
played a single game of
competitive football at club level
this year. Even when he isnt
injured, his game is riddled with
errors that make you question
whether he is fully ft.
His performance in the 2-1
warm-up friendly loss to Bosnia,
his frst competitive match since
December, showed the long-
term injury has just compounded
them.
More worryingly, Yaya Toure
hasnt played a part in any
of the friendlies. The African
Footballer of the Year has been
nursing an injury ever since
limping out of Manchester Citys
fnal game of the season.
The Ivorian Football Federation

ROY HODGSON WILL LEAVE NO SCONE UNTURNED IN
BRAZIL WITH CHEF TIM DEATH PLAYING VITAL ROLE
sent him to Qatari sports
medicine specialists Aspetar in
Doha to speed his recovery.
Still, despite gradually
responding well to treatment and
joining the pre-World Cup camp
in Dallas, the City man has yet to
fully train with the squad.
Lamouchi has admitted he is
unsure whether he will be ft to
start the opening game against
Japan. If Yaya Toure isnt fully
ft, Max Gradel will be the
benefciary.
A winger by trade, the former
Leeds player has been utilised as
an attacking midfelder in warm
up friendlies and, though he
hasnt shone, it would allow him
and the players either side of him
Gervinho on the left wing, and
Salomon Kalou on the right to
interchange positions.
On a positive note, Didier
Drogba, the emotional heartbeat
of the side, has overcome his
ftness concerns. This time four


years ago, there were worries
whether he would play any part in
the World Cup after he dislocated
his shoulder in a pre-tournament
friendly versus Japan.
This time around, there were
injury concerns of a different
nature. A groin injury saw the
former Chelsea striker undergo
an operation at the Aspetar
Centre in Doha and ruled out for
the rest of the season.
There have also been concerns
whether he is the right man to
lead the line over the last 18
months. Aged 36, Drogba is
understandably on the wane
and there have been calls for
Swanseas Wilfried Bony to
dismantle him as the solitary
striker.
Yet there is still life in the old
Drog. He has been involved in all
three goals the Ivory Coast have
scored in their friendlies, scoring
two and assisting one.
If anything, he looks ftter than
ever and perfectly conditioned
for a memorable swansong on
the world stage.
By Henry Winter
J
udging by England
playerss usual tournament
dietary requirements, Roy
Hodgsons squad will travel
to the World Cup in Brazil with
tubes of Wasabi paste, bottles of
peri-peri sauce, Tabasco sauce,
sweet chilli dipping sauce, English
mustard, seaweed sheets, dried
apricots, custard, bars of organic
chocolate, herbal teas, jam and
bottles of brown sauce. Gone are
the days of boxes of Mars bars.
To prepare them properly for the
taxing conditions, particularly in
Manaus, England will be heavily
reliant on their highly respected
head chef, Tim Death. Nothing
is left to chance. Going on his
itinerary in recent tournaments, he
will make advance sorties to all the
kitchens of hotels where England
could stay, including those in the
knock-out stages, checking they
have all the facilities he needs.
In the last World Cup, Death
even examined the kitchens of the
Johannesburg hotel that England
could have been billeted in before
the fnal.
Death is highly experienced.
He has catered for Hollywood
blockbusters in the past, including
Star Wars, and is currently the
popular player liaison offcer at
West Ham United. He gets on with
players. He listens to them. He has
even gone into partnership with
a few. Death recently embarked
on a joint venture in a restaurant
in Chelmsford with some of the
West Ham players, including Andy
Carroll. But his most high-profle
work is feeding England.
Going on past menus, Death will
do the usual toast and omelettes,
poached or scrambled eggs plus
cereals for breakfast. There will
be pasta and grilled chicken, rice
and steamed vegetables and the
ubiquitous salad bar for the main
meals followed by a range of
puddings. There will be constant
snacks of oatcakes with cottage
cheese, oatcakes with salmon.
Some players graze, consuming
a little often. The variety of food
on offer is huge, also catering
to individual tastes. Englands
catering operation in Brazil is a
demanding logistical challenge,
simply ensuring all the food is the
right stuff and ready on time.
Hodgson has already signaled his
desire to leave no scone unturned
by announcing he is bringing
in a nutritionist who will work
with Death. In conjunction with
Englands medical staff, the cooks
will establish when in the match-
day week to peak with the carbo-
loading, rising up to 5,000 calories
a day with some players.
Dishes vary extensively. Some
can be fairly Spartan: one of the
Death signature dishes involves
plain pasta covered with parmesan
cheese and a few dabs of olive oil.
Sushi is available. So are protein
recovery drinks and shakes. Brazil
will bring its own challenges,
culinary and climactic. The players
will drink up to six litres of water
a day, particularly in Manaus. One
of the innovations at Euro 2012
was a 49-gram peanut protein
blast. Death will doubtless have
even more surprises and dietary
specials this time.
Roy Hodgson's youthful England
proves talented youngsters like
U17s will be given their chance
After becoming champions of
Europe, the England U17 class of
2014 now face another challenge,
but the really good ones, the really
driven ones, will make it
It was the eve of the World Cup,
and England's senior players and
management took a breather at
their Continental training camp to
send good luck messages to John
Peacock's Under-17s as they faced
their Uefa fnal against technically
very talented opposition. After
the lion-cubs won, the seniors
dispatched well done missives. As
in May 2010, so in May 2014.
Four years ago, Fabio Capello was
in Austria with the senior squad
taking regular updates from the
progress of Ross Barkley and the
Under-17s. Rio Ferdinand and
other players sent the youngsters
messages of support and then
congratulations after they beat
Spain.
This week, Roy Hodgson and
Steven Gerrard stayed in regular
contact with Peacock's side from
their Faro base, delighting in the
Under-17s' shoot-out defeat of
Holland on Wednesday night.
Judging by some of the tweeted
messages going around a fair few
hours after the fnal whistle, some
of the Under-17s did not have the
earliest of nights. Good. They
worked hard, played well, held
their nerve in the shoot-out and
deserve all the praise.
The hard work now intensifes,
turning huge potential into frst-
team reality. The 2010 squad
experienced mixed fortunes.
There is a slight myth that 2010
really produced only Barkley, the
Everton attacking midfelder who
has made Hodgson's World Cup
23.
There was plenty of talent amongst
the Boys of 2010 and some is
now being given a stage. Connor
Wickham fnished the season
strongly with Sunderland. At
West Brom, Saido Berahino has
shown glimpses of his class this
season, and now needs to develop
decision-making through sustained
games.
That, as usual, is the main issue:
game-time. Jack Butland has
played for England seniors, played
for Team GB at the Olympics,
but clearly needs a settled run of
games. As a keeper he's still very
young, only just 21 (although it
needs emphasising that two of the
world's best keepers are not much
older: Thibaut Courtois is only 14
months older and David de Gea is
only 23).
There were great hopes for Josh
McEachran, the midfelder who
also shone in Chelsea's 2010 FA
Youth Cup win. McEachran seems
to have become the poster-boy
for unfulflled promise. He just
couldn't get a game at Chelsea, like
Nat Chalobah. There is a particular
frustration with Chalobah's
slightly arrested development
as England are crying out for a
defensive midfelder. But there is
no reason why they can't push on
again. They have the ability. It's
simply about pushing relentlessly
for recognition.
Many others of the Class of 2010
are relying on the loan system
for games, taking the more scenic
route as they attempt to get to the
top. Andre Wisdom (Liverpool)
and George Thorne (West Brom)
have helped Derby County into
the Championship play-off fnal
against QPR where Manchester
United's Will Keane has been on
loan this season. Luke Garbutt
continues to develop, going out
from Everton on loan, but returning
and coming on for Leighton
Baines against Southampton last
month. The captain against Spain,
Liverpool's Conor Coady, has done
well on loan to Sheffeld United
where he may move permanently.
Samuel Johnstone of Manchester
United has been going about on
loan.
There are others like Bruno
Pilatos, Ben Gibson, Tom Thorpe,
Robert Hall, Luke Williams and
Benik Afobe, who haven't yet lived
up to their early promise. Injuries
have held some back, particularly
Pilatos.
Their experience does indicate
the diffculties in making the leap
from 18 to 21, in getting frst-
team exposure. Too many cheaper
imports, and the laxness in the
work-permit system, have hardly
helped. Too many coaches are
scared for their jobs, so picking
older players less likely to make
the mistakes of youth. Greg Dyke
highlighted these issues in his
recent FA Commission; he decided
B teams were the answer, an idea
immediately ridiculed. It is the
second part of the Commission due
out in the Autumn, looking into
grass-roots facilities and coaching,
where part of the solution lies.
More skills coaching is required at
schoolboy level to deepen the pool
of talent, and more 3G pitches
so youngsters can develop more,
but sometimes it is down to the
hunger of the individual player as
well as blockages in the system.
There is always the risk that a
generous contract for a teenager
can soften their ambition if they
are not mentally strong enough or
properly advised.
After becoming champions of
Europe, the Under-17 class of
2014 now face another challenge
but the really good ones, the really
driven ones, will make it. A look at
Hodgson's squad shows that youth
is being given its chance; players
like Barkley, Raheem Sterling
and Luke Shaw have played 41,
39 and 39 games respectively this
season for club and country. John
Stones and Jon Flanagan are on
the standby list, joining the squad
currently in Faro. The kids are all
right.
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PRICE L$40 VOL 8 NO.613 WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014

COUNTDOWN WORLD CUP


1 Days to go: All the action leading up the Brazil
INJURY FEARS
Ivory Coast sweat over Yaya
Toures ftness, but buoyed by
form of Didier Drogba
L
iberias minister of Public Works
Madam Antoinette Weeks has come
under fre for so many reasons since
her taking over as Minister of the
government entity responsible for leading its
infrastructure drive.
In fact it was Weeks employer President Ellen
Johnson Sirleaf who saw the trouble coming when
she jibed the newly appointed minister at the time
during the launch of a market women project at
the old Omega Tower in these words: I havent
seen your footprints True to the Presidents
words, Madam Weeks and folks at the Ministry of
public works have nothing to brag about in terms
of achievements.
As the rain sets in bad roads saddle the entire
country and Monrovia the seat of the government
where things could have been done easily is set for
the worst foods in the countrys history. Already
there has been fooding in communities like West
Point, New Kru Town and areas on the busy
commercial front of Vai Town, Bushrod Island.
Yet Minister Weeks spent her valuable time
embroiled in internal wrangling since she took
over from her predecessor Samuel Kof Woods.
Liberia is craving for infrastructural development
but Minister Weeks allowed almost US$120
Million to waste because she did not do what was
required of her, hence the bad road condition all
around.
As the rains intensify, places like the Somalia
Drive that was so passionately earmarked for
rehabilitation will become a trauma zone for
motorists and many other communities and homes
are set to get fooded. Another Dry season wasted
as Weeks has nothing to show for it.
A FLOODED DAY IN MONROVIA



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Huge Downpour of Rain Dampens Activities, Commute