In a communication dated August 26, 2024, the Deputy Chief Investigator of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Abel D. Guah, has written the Minister of Justice, Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, calling his attention to an alleged death threat against his life by the former Solicitor General of Liberia, Cllr. Sayma Syrinius Cephus.
The role of the Deputy Chief Investigator is to supervise and direct all investigators of the Monitoring and Investigation Department (MID) at the LACC, in consultation with the Chief of Investigations (CT).
Mr. Guah’s communication states: “Following days of thoughtful consultations with family members and friends, I hereby write to draw your attention to a ‘Death Threat’ issued against me by Cllr. Sayma Syrinius Cephus, former Solicitor General of the Republic of Liberia, while carrying out my official duties as Deputy Chief of Investigations.”
Guah alleged that the death threat against him by Cllr. Cephus stemmed from the invitation extended to former Minister of State, now Senator of Margibi County, Nathaniel McGill, for an ongoing investigation into allegations of payroll padding and acts of corruption.
On August 21, 2024, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) invited Senator McGill to assist in an ongoing investigation into allegations of payroll padding and acts of corruption, stemming from salary payments related to a supplementary payroll containing 72% of names at the Ministry of State and Presidential Affairs.
In response to the invitation, Senator McGill arrived at the LACC head office and was ushered into Guah’s office, followed by his legal counsel, Cllr. Cephus, who was asking for his client (McGill).Guah narrated that upon hearing Cllr. Cephus’s voice, he quickly rushed to receive him.
“When I heard his voice, I walked to the entrance to receive and/or usher him into my office, where Senator McGill was seated. When I got to the entrance, I greeted him, ‘Good morning, sir!’ He asked me, ‘Where is Senator McGill, my young man?’ I told him, ‘He is in my office.’ He further asked, ‘Can I see him right now?’ And I said, ‘Wait a while, we do not want the crowd accompanying him to enter the building forcefully,’” Guah narrated.
The LACC Deputy Chief Investigator further accused Cllr. Cephus of assaulting him and forcibly making his way to his office where Senator McGill was seated on the day of the inquiry. “There and then, he got infuriated, assaulted me (pushed me out of the way), and proceeded to the Program Manager’s office, Mr. Baba M. Borkai.”
During the interview, however, Cllr. Cephus allegedly instructed Senator McGill not to respond to any queries from the investigators, stating that if there were queries, the investigators should write to him and he (Cllr. Cephus) would respond at a later date.
Guah highlighted that when Senator McGill was allegedly instructed by Cllr. Cepheus to not respond to any inquiries, he immediately raised a concern, noting that the investigation was a criminal investigationwith a hard deadline.
According to Guah, as soon as he said this was a criminal investigation, Cllr. Cephus allegedly asked him whether he loved his job more than his life or safety.
“Any time I come here, you can give me a hard time, so you love this job more than yourself, huh?” He said Cllr. Cephus allegedly added that he had his number, stating that he was going to text him. “You cannot do anything to me; I have your number, I will send you a text.”
The LACC Executive disclosed in his communication that when he kept emphasizing and drawing Senator McGill’s attention to the threats his lawyer continued to unleash on him, Cllr. Cephus allegedly walked up to him, pointed his finger in his face, and said he hated him.
Guah is urging the Justice Minister to take his complaint very seriously because it concerns his life and the safety of his immediate family members.
“Realizing the severity of this ferocious looming death threat over my life, and the trickle-down effect it may have on my immediate family members, I hereby request your prompt and urgent intervention in this matter, as prevention is better than cure,” he emphasized.
