Former Chairman of the Office of the Ombudsman, Prof. Cllr. Finley Y. Karngar, has filed a libel lawsuit in the Civil Law Court against Deputy Ombudsman Commissioners Lamii Kpargoi and Etmonia Martin, along with Aaron Weah, accusing them of defaming him through what the lawsuit describes as a secret investigative panel.
According to the court filing, the defendants allegedly established an unauthorized investigative panel that produced a report accusing Prof. Karngar of extortion, bribery and abuse of office. The lawsuit contends that the report was false, defamatory and intended to damage his reputation.
The complaint further alleges that the defendants acted as both complainants and investigators in the matter, a process the lawsuit argues violated the principles of fairness and impartiality. It claims the panel’s actions were unlawful and seeks damages for the alleged harm caused to Prof. Karngar’s reputation.
Court documents also state that the Civil Law Court of Montserrado County has subpoenaed the Ministry of Justice to produce a copy of its administrative review of the investigation. The review is expected to assist the court in deciding Prof. Karngar’s pending Motion for Summary Judgment.
According to the lawsuit, the Ministry of Justice found that the investigative process was affected by “material procedural irregularities” and failed to meet the standards of fairness, impartiality and institutional independence. The review reportedly concluded that the panel’s findings and recommendations could not be regarded as conclusive because of flaws in the process.
The lawsuit further argues that the commissioners who initiated the investigation also participated in deciding the allegations against Prof. Karngar, creating what it describes as a conflict of interest and a violation of the legal principle that no one should be a judge in his or her own case.
Prof. Karngar is also asking the court to hold the defendants accountable for what he describes as defamatory statements contained in the investigative report. He maintains that the allegations against him are false and that the report caused serious damage to his personal and professional reputation.
Prof. Karngar resigned as Chairman of the Office of the Ombudsman on March 10, 2026. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai accepted his resignation and thanked him for his service, commending his contributions to promoting ethical standards in Liberia’s public service.
The Civil Law Court has not yet ruled on the libel suit, and the defendants have not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the complaint.
