Rev. M. Emmanuel Nimely, the former religious advisor to Liberia’s immediate past president George M. Weah, will spent his first night at Monrovia Central Prison today, June 7, 2024.
The so-called Man of God jail on this day brings to mummery the famous June 7 Protest led by Political figure Henry Costa under former President George Weah when serving as Religious Adviser.
Rev. Nimely faces multiple charges, including theft of property and issuing deceptive writings, after allegedly defrauding over 80 individuals out of US$87,300.
On Sunday, June 2, 2024, Monrovia City Court Judge Ben Barco ordered Nimely’s arrest following a series of complaints from victims who accused him of deceit. The allegations stem from Nimely’s activities as Senior Pastor of the Forkay Klon Church and founder of the “Global Spiritual Cleansing Peace and Reconciliation Organization.”
According to the police chargesheet obtained by our reporters, the fraudulent scheme was first brought to light by H. Momo Fortune, Jr., a resident of Old Road. Fortune recounted how he was approached by Nimely on August 6, 2023, and was deceptively informed about a program called “Healing Broken Hearts of Australia Reconciliation Conference and Crusade.” Nimely allegedly collected US$3,500 from Fortune under the guise of securing an Australian visa for the conference.
Fortune’s complaint was soon echoed by over 80 other victims, each of whom claimed Nimely collected US$970 from them with the same false promise of arranging visas for the supposed conference in Australia. The cumulative loss reported by these victims reached a staggering US$87,300.
Nimely’s actions are in direct violation of Liberia’s Revised Penal Law, specifically Chapter 15, Subchapter D, Section 15.51, and Subchapter E, Section 15.72. Despite these serious charges, Nimely admitted to the allegations during police investigations. He confessed to receiving money from the victims and failing to provide the promised visas or refunds, which led to their grievances and subsequent legal action.
The charges against Rev. Nimely are bailable, yet his inability to secure a valid criminal appearance bond resulted in Judge Barco’s decision to remand him to Monrovia Central Prison. Nimely’s arrest has sent shockwaves through the community, given his high-profile position and close association with ex-president Weah.
The legal community and the public at large are now keenly observing how the court proceedings will unfold. This case underscores a significant breach of trust and raises questions about the accountability of high-ranking officials and their advisors.
The Monrovia City Court has yet to announce a trial date, but this case already serves as a cautionary tale about the potential for abuse of power and the importance of due diligence when engaging in financial transactions, even with prominent religious and political figures.
The victims of this scheme now await justice and restitution for the funds they were misled into parting with under false pretenses.
By: Watson Richards
