In response to Verity News’ recent exposé uncovering a disturbing corruption scheme within the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has suspended three senior officials.
Their suspension is based on alleged financial misconduct involving US$1.5 million, marking a significant step in the President’s commitment to combating corruption within government institutions.
The officials suspended are Mr. Patrick Worzie, Executive Director of LRRRC; Mr. Richard Hoff, Deputy Executive Director for Operations; and Mr. AJ Armah Karneh, Deputy Executive Director for Administration.
Their suspension is immediate and without pay, as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) launches a full investigation into their alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme to embezzle funds intended for the repatriation and resettlement of Liberian returnees from Ghana’s Buduburam Camp.
Verity News reported its investigation on October 21, 2024, uncovering this scandal at LRRRC involving the creation of over 700 fraudulent receipts. These fake receipts, with ghost names and contact numbers, were reportedly submitted to the Ministry of Finance to justify payments totaling US$1.5 million. Verity News investigation uncovered that the LRRRC allegedly coordinated these actions by generating fabricated documentation and misrepresenting the number of returnees to receive a larger budget allocation.
Our investigation scrutinized hundreds of payment receipts supposedly issued to returnees. Upon contacting the individuals linked to these documents, we found the details entirely falsified, revealing ghost names, altered photos, and untraceable recipients.
It was discovered that Mr. Karneh, Deputy Director for Administration, attempted to deflect responsibility, asserting that he was not involved. However, Mr. Hoff, the Deputy Director for Operations, claimed that Karneh had overseen the entire payment process. “It was Mr. Karneh who managed the team. His denial is unjustifiable,” Hoff contended in a brief statement to Verity News.
An inside source revealed further discrepancies, questioning the accuracy of LRRRC’s reporting to the President. Although LRRRC claimed to have resettled 1,539 returnees, the insider alleges that the actual figure is closer to 700. “They inflated the numbers to justify excessive funding, which was ultimately misappropriated, leaving these vulnerable returnees stranded and neglected in various communities,” disclosed the source. Based on these inflated numbers, the Government of Liberia allocated a total budget of US$1,535,027, divided into installments of US$486,027, US$450,000, US$225,000, and US$374,000.
Verity News’ findings reveal hundreds of suspicious transactions made from LRRRC’s Operational USD Account (#1602003880) and LRD Account (#1601002996) from May to July 2024. These transactions, purportedly for returnee resettlement, were allegedly distributed under a network of ghost names linked to LRRRC’s senior management. Further examination of the transactions suggests that Mr. Worzie, Mr. Karneh, and Mr. Hoff may have personally benefitted from the fund’s distribution, raising questions about systematic embezzlement within LRRRC’s leadership.
Verity News has documented the original phone numbers tied to these ghost names and fake photos, indicating a deliberate attempt to deceive the government into disbursing funds to fictitious returnees. It also uncovered that many of the checks issued from LRRRC accounts were payable to these false identities, a tactic aimed at concealing the identities of those benefiting from the funds.
However, President Boakai has ordered the immediate suspension of all implicated officials and instructed them to surrender government assets to LRRRC’s Human Resource Director.
“This administration will not tolerate corruption within any institution and will hold all officials accountable to the highest standards of transparency,” declared President Boakai.
He has directed the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure justice and restitution, emphasizing that the administration’s commitment to ethical governance and accountability remains unwavering.
The President expects full cooperation from the suspended officials to facilitate a transparent and expedient investigation.
This sets a critical precedent, underlining President Boakai’s resolve to foster a culture of transparency and accountability throughout Liberian governance.
