An investigation by Verity News has obtained a 13-page leaked report and a set of damning audios, indicting the Chairman of the Office of the Ombudsman Cllr. Findley Y. Karngar for alleged ethical misconduct including soliciting kickbacks.
The findings, compiled by an Independent Investigative Panel, conclude that from April to July 2025, Cllr. Karngar “required his Special Assistant, Mr. Francis K. D. Cooper, to give him US$500 from his monthly salary and provide US$30-35 for phone scratch cards.”
The panel determined that the payments were directly linked to the complainant’s continued employment.
“In essence, the investigation uncovered that the actual reason behind the dismissal was Mr. Cooper’s refusal to continue the illicit monetary payments,” the report states.
Allegations of Extortion and Abuse of Office
Mr. Cooper’s complaint contained two central allegations: that the stated grounds for his termination-poor performance, incompetence and dishonesty-were pretextual, and that Cllr. Karngar leveraged his authority to solicit a portion of his salary as a condition for what was described as “harmonious employment.”
The panel reviewed extensive evidence presented by the complainant, including secret audio recordings, WhatsApp messages, mobile money transaction transcripts and internal office correspondence.
According to the report, the audio recordings captured discussions referencing monthly payments described as “the small portion of the money” and scratch cards. Mobile money records reportedly documented transactions linked to the Chairman’s number over a four-month period.
Witness Testimony Under Oath
Seven staff members were summoned to testify; six appeared and gave sworn testimony, including the Human Resources Director and Executive Directors.
The HR Director testified that she declined an instruction from Cllr. Karngar to dismiss Mr. Cooper because the directive did not comply with Civil Service Standing Orders. She stated that Cooper had passed probation and had no negative performance appraisal.
The report further notes that when Mr. Cooper disclosed the alleged financial arrangement, the HR Director advised him to discontinue further payments.
Other staff members testified that Cooper’s financial behavior changed noticeably during the period in question, including avoiding lunch outings and claiming he lacked money-an assertion colleagues found inconsistent with his salary level.
The panel described the testimonies as “generally consistent with each other and lacking any apparent motive to falsely accuse the Chairman.”
Respondent’s Position
In a written response dated November 10, 2025, Cllr. Karngar did not substantively address the core allegations, according to the report. Instead, he raised procedural objections and argued that fellow Commissioners-whom he characterized as subordinates-lacked authority to investigate him.
The panel observed that he “neither denied nor confirmed the specific allegations of soliciting payments.”
It concluded that his refusal to participate fully in the inquiry undermined his credibility. “His procedural objections lacked any legal foundation, and his attempt to unilaterally transfer the case appears as an evasion tactic,” the report states.
The Chairman’s Administrative Assistant, Ms. Angeline Y. McGill, was cited in the findings as having acted as an intermediary in some transactions.
The panel reported that she failed to testify before the investigation and instead filed a lawsuit at the Civil Law Court for Montserrado County against two Commissioners-a move the panel characterized as an attempt to delay and obstruct the process.
Findings and Recommendations
After three weeks of investigation, the panel concluded that the evidence-including audio recordings, text messages, transaction records and sworn testimony, was “overwhelming.”
It found that:
Cllr. Karngar required monthly payments from his Special Assistant between April and July 2025.
Ms. McGill acted as an intermediary in certain transactions.
Mr. Cooper was terminated on October 31, 2025, without adherence to Civil Service Standing Orders.
The termination followed Cooper’s refusal to continue payments.
The Chairman sought to obstruct the investigative process.
The panel recommended the immediate dismissal of Cllr. Karngar for gross misconduct under Liberia’s Code of Conduct, referral to the Ministry of Justice for potential criminal investigation into extortion and bribery, restitution of all monies received with interest, and a formal disciplinary inquiry into Ms. McGill.
“This conduct is anathema to the very purpose of the Ombudsman,” the report concludes. “To ignore or minimize these findings would be a catastrophic failure of the ethical framework of the Liberian state.”
Report Submitted to Executive Mansion
Multiple sources have confirmed that the investigative report was formally submitted to the Office of the President on February 12, 2026.
However, senior government sources told Verity News that the document has not yet reached the President personally.
According to those sources, influential officials within the President’s office, described as “big hands” who are allegedly linked to Cllr. Karngar investigation, have prevented the report from being placed before the President.
There has been no official response from the Executive Mansion addressing the status of the report or the allegations of internal interference.
The case carries significant implications for Liberia’s governance framework. The Office of the Ombudsman is mandated to enforce ethical standards and investigate misconduct by public officials.
Allegations of corruption within the institution itself threaten to undermine public confidence in anti-corruption enforcement mechanisms.
This paper contacted the chairman of the Ombudsman Cllr. Findley Y. Karngar requesting an official response even though the independent investigative panel indicated in its findings that Cllr. Karngar did respond to the substantive during the investigation.
This paper did not receive an official respond from Cllr. Findley Karngar as of the publication of this article.
The panel’s final appeal urges decisive executive action, emphasizing that “no official is above the law” and calling for strict adherence to accountability standards within institutions tasked with combating corruption.
