|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: The Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) Deputy Director Al Hussein Fadiga has alleged that ex-President George Weah did not set up an Asset Recovery Team during his time in office.
Verdict: False! DUBAWA’s investigations showed that former Liberian President George Weah established an Assets Investigation, Restitution, and Recovery Team during his presidency. The task force was mandated to retrieve missing government assets during the 12-year tenure of ex-Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Full Text
Al Hussein Fadiga, the Deputy Director of the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), has claimed that ex-Liberian President George Weah did not set up an asset committee to retrieve stolen state assets during his tenure.
Mr Fadiga made the comment when he contributed to a discussion as a panelist on the July 20, 2024, edition of a popular nighttime programme, Spoon Talk.
“The Access Recovery Team established by President Boakai, even though it is slow, but the fact that he was able to put that structure together to hold people accountable, that is something that we did not see during the last administration,” Mr Fadiga said.
Mr. Fadiga made the claim after 1 hour 40 minutes into the show.
However, Data available on the social media platform showed the video has received over 3,634 comments, 831 likes, and 206 shares as of Aug. 27, 2024.
DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim as part of its campaign against misinformation and disinformation in Liberia.
Verification
DUBAWA’s research has revealed that ex-Liberian President George Weah established an Assets Investigation, Restitution, and Recovery Team committee.
The task force was set up following a protest by Liberians who campaigned against corruption and the country’s economic decline.
Mr Weah set up the anti-graft body with a special prosecutor to investigate and recover $4.6 billion allegedly missing during ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s 12-year rule.
Investigations into the claim have revealed that Cllr. Arthur Johnson was the head of the Assets committee that Mr Weah set up. However, DUBAWA’s probe discovered that he had resigned.
“I am so constrained to tender my resignation from the position of Chairman of the Assets Investigation Restitution and Recovery Team (AIRReT) due to the fact that my anticipation and perception about the fight against corruption is not achieving its objectives. I expected that there would be a “WILL” in the fight against corruption, but this belief of mine had proven to be an illusion, and therefore, I cannot continue to risk my career and reputation.”
However, on July 18, 2019, Liberia’s Justice Ministry released a “Partial official List of “Persons and Institutions of Interest” who were invited by the Assets Investigation, Restitution and Recovery Team (AIRReT).
Also, former Finance Minister Amara Konneh, who was one of the many persons of interest, described the move by the Weah Assets Investigation, Restitution, and Recovery Team as a witch-hunt.
Conclusion
Therefore, Al Hussein Fadiga’s statement is not true. Former President Weah established the Assets Investigation, Restitution, and Recovery Team during his regime, headed by veteran Liberian lawyer Cllr. Arthur Johnson. He later resigned.
The researcher produced this fact-check per the DUBAWA 2024 Kwame KariKari Fellowship, in partnership with Prime FM 105.5 Liberia, to facilitate the spirit of “truth” in journalism and enhance media literacy.
