By Augustine B. Kollie
augustinekollie87@yahoo.com
Monrovia,Liberia:Justice Minister Cllr. Musa Dean has recused himself from investigating recent damaging Global witness report on Liberia’s oil industry.
President George Weah named Minister Dean to lead the investigation into a Global Witness report of wrongful doing in Liberia’s oil Block 13.
The justice Minister said the decision to recuse himself was based on the fact that he once served as President and Chief Executive Officer of NOCAL between 2004 and January 2006.
Dean said he has obtained the approval of the President, George Weah to recuse himself from the investigation.
The Attorney-General in his communication of recusal clarified that all oil blocks negotiated between 2004 and January 2006 were awarded pursuant to the companies compliance with NOCAL’s full disclosure requirements under penalty of law.
Musa Dean pointed out that his decision to step aside was intended to avoid any semblance of conflict of interest and to ensure that the investigation is characterized by transparency and integrity.
In its report, the London-based watchdog group reported that some officials of the former Liberian government officials may have illegally owned an interest in the block through the company Broadway Consolidated/Peppercoast (BCP).
Global Witness’ report also found large US$35,000 payments were made to top Liberian officials after Exxon got the block in 2013.
recently, GW urged the George Weah-led administration to ensure a fair and independent investigation into the Exxon Block 13 deal while stressing that Justice Minister Dean poses a major conflict of interest risk and should not head the investigation into Exxon’s Block 13 purchase.
Last Friday President Weah ordered a probe into the scandal and named the Justice Minister as the lead investigator.
Global Witness said this week that while it welcomed the president’s move that the government will undertake a preliminary investigation into corruption in Liberia’s oil sector, it cautioned that conflicts of interest within the Ministry of Justice unit could undermine the review.
Block 13 was originally awarded by NOCAL in 2005 to Liberian-Anglo Company Broadway Consolidated/Peppercoast (BCP). In
2007, BCP’s Block 13 license was ratified by the Liberian legislature.
Minister Dean was no longer the President of NOCAL at this time.
Global Witness’ evidence shows that, in 2005, BCP was likely part-owned by former Mining Minister Jonathan Mason and former Deputy Minister Mulbah Willie.
If so, it would have been illegal for them to benefit from the award of the block.
GW said the Government investigation will examine “allegations of bribery and misuse” outlined in multiple recent publications, including the Global Witness report.
Justice Minister Dean was tasked with heading the investigation, despite posing a clear conflict of interest.
Minister Dean was the President of NOCAL in 2005, when the agency awarded BCP Block 13, and was one of the Liberian officials who signed BCP’s contract.
Global Witness calls on this investigation to be independent and thorough, and asks that the Liberian Government hold accountable any individuals or companies that are found to have broken the law, while also respecting the due process rights of those being questioned.
President Weah has promised Liberians that he will tackle Liberia’s endemic corruption.
This is his first major test in office to see if he will make good on that promise.
