Monrovia, Liberia- A former employee of the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA), Mr. Mohammed Bill Jah, has raised alarming claims of death threats issued against him by members of the organization’s management.
Jah, an I.T. officer, was allegedly fired in August 2024 after a formal investigation accused him of embezzling funds entrusted to him for the payment of email services, leading to the disruption of the LPRA’s digital operations.
According to documents obtained by Verity newspaper, the LPRA terminated Jah’s employment on August 22, 2024, after discovering that he failed to account for a sum of US$1,032 out of the US$1,500 he was given to settle email service bills with Google from December 2023 to February 2024.
The outstanding balance led to the LPRA’s email services shutdown, which severely impacted the agency’s operations.
However, in response to a legal complaint filed by Jah, the Ministry of Labor called for a review of the termination.
After a conference with legal counsel, the LPRA acknowledged the lack of due process in Jah’s dismissal and rescinded the termination letter, opting to suspend him without pay, pending the outcome of an ongoing criminal investigation.
In a shocking turn of events, Jah claims that members of LPRA’s management, in the wake of these proceedings, have issued threats to his life.
He alleges that certain officials, upset by his accusations and the unfolding public attention, have warned him of severe consequences should he continue to pursue legal action.
“I fear for my safety. I have been threatened with death if I do not drop this case and leave the matter alone,” Jah said in an exclusive interview with Verity.
The LPRA former I.T. employee accused the entity of covering corruption at the Petroleum Regulatory body.
“The corruption and lack of accountability within the LPRA should not be swept under the rug, but I do not feel safe,” he asserted.
The allegations of corruption at the LPRA and the claim of death threats have drawn the attention of both local human rights organizations and labor unions.
These groups now call for a full investigation into the financial mismanagement and the alleged intimidation tactics against Jah.
According to Jah, he has to flee this country overnight in exile to save his life.
“As we speak right now, I have to run away for my life to an unknown destination because of the threats against my life,” he asserted.
The LPRA has yet to address the death threat claims formally, but sources within the organization have stated that they are conducting internal inquiries into the matter.
This paper made several attempts to get some senior management of LPRA to respond to these grave allegations of corruption and death threats.
There were WhatsApp messages sent to Mr. Mohammed Shirk Dukuly, the financial officer of the LPRA, to get his side of the story since he’s also been accused, but he did not respond until this publication.
This paper also reached out to the Human Resource Manager of the LPRA, Madam Marilyn Longan, but she did not respond to our inquiries.
Meanwhile, Mr. Jah has vowed to continue his fight for justice, asserting that the case is about more than just his termination – it is about holding public officials accountable for their actions and ensuring that due process is followed in all cases.
The investigation into the missing funds is ongoing, and authorities have not determined whether criminal charges will be filed against Mr. Jah.
However, his claims of harassment and threats have added a disturbing new dimension to a case that is already under intense scrutiny.
This story highlights the ongoing issues within Liberia’s public sector and the lengths some may go to to protect their interests, even at the expense of employee safety and transparency.
