Finding Pres. Sirleaf Family’s Properties, Part 2 --As Jennie Bernard Becomes Sirleaf Family’s Steve Tolbert --Sirleaf Family Reportedly Owns Comium Liberia The National Chronicle on Friday, June 14, 2013, commenced a series of articles on the first family, not to malign the Sirleafs but, being at the helm of power (political and police), the people of this country should be aware of their maneuverings and therefore check-mate them whenever they go wrong; writes Jah H. Johnson. From the investigation conducted by this medium on “Finding The Sirleafs’ Property”, the National Chronicle has uncovered something very unhealthy for the business climate in the country. Like Ezak Eid, business partner of President Samuel K. Doe, and George Haddad, business partner of Charles Taylor, the Sirleaf family is creating another dinosaur in the Liberian business circle. The name spoken about is the Abijaoudis. The Abijaoudis came to this country decades ago and established a supermarket on Randall Street and an import-and-export business. The first generation of Abijaoudis became old and has turned over the business to the new generation, son, George. George Abijaoudi was introduced to President Charles Taylor by the closest Lebanese to Taylor at that time, Tallah El Dean. El Dean, the most senior business manager to Taylor, told him that Abijaoudi was an excellent businessman. Therefore, he would do much good as a business partner. President Taylor accepted El Dean’s advice and gave George Abijaoudi the monopoly to import Heineken beer, Benson and Hedges cigarettes, Irish potatoes, all spirits (hot liquor), and the lists go on. Taylor and Abijaoudi were in business until 2003 when he left the country for Nigeria. During the election’s heat, the Abijaoudis immediately returned to the country and teamed up with the Sirleafs’ campaign team, by first, sponsoring the Unity Party (UP) convention in Nimba County in 2005. After winning the presidency and inaugurated in January 2006, Aunt Jennie Bernard, the elder sister of President Sirleaf, started a business venture with the Abijaoudis and currently manages their involvement, with the Abijaoudis as a preferential shareholder. She even has an office at the Abijaoudi complex on Randall Street. This paper has even compared her to the late Steve Tolbert, younger brother to President William Richard Tolbert and his finance minister, who ran the Tolbert family business. There was a popular slogan of Steve Tolbert: “Work for the Tolbert government or the Tolbert family,” because like President Sirleaf’s family, they were successful in almost buying up Liberia. George Abijaoudi, this paper has gathered, is being used by the Sirleaf family as a front to acquire assets legally or otherwise. George Abijaoudi has therefore preferential treatment in anything he ventures into because the Sirleafs’ interest is involved. A prominent businessman told the Chronicle that this is inimical to doing business in the country. He said further that every transaction the government undertakes goes through the Abijaoudis because it is the business of the first family. One such business involves the GSM company, Comium. Some months ago, a daily reported the sale of Comium to George Abijaoudi, who was allegedly fronting for the Sirleafs. In that report, the paper said Comium was bought for US$18 million. The Chronicle has been informed that the money was paid up-front by the Sirleafs because George Abijaoudi was just a front for them and did not have that kind of money. Now the question is, where did the Sirleafs get all that money? Considering the purchase of Comium and the construction of a modern hotel at Robertsfield, the total cost would run up to, or even excel, US$30 million. This is a family which was so broke and could not rally the needed funds to get Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf elected, but depended on friends, businessmen and donors to sponsor their campaign. According to the National Chronicle’s investigation, George Abijaoudi did not get a loan from a bank to acquire these properties because, for a bank to dish out such a huge cash, a collateral in fixed assets close to four times the amount should be presented to the bank and the cash flow with the bank, which would have determined the huge loan. Where did he get the money? One analyst vented his anger, ‘’it is clear, Abijaoudi is fronting for someone with a lot of money to spend!’’ If Abijaoudi is allegedly fronting for Madam President and her sister, Jennie Bernard, then they have acquired immense wealth over the period of seven years. The Liberian people, one pundit hinted, should be asking them, How did you acquire such wealth when the vast majority of the Liberian people live in abject poverty? It was further discovered that the deal to purchase Comium was done through the International Bank (IB), with head office located on Broad Street. The bank’s general manager, Henry Saamoi, was in the front of the purchase of Comium, suggesting that the money used to purchase the failing cellular phone company came from the IB Bank. Cllr. Estrada Bernard as chairman of the board of IB Bank, and living in the IB bank’s compound, Fish Market, Congo Town, speaks volumes. It could be that the first family has shares in the IB Bank and might be hiding their overnight amassed wealth in the bank. A human rights activist told the Chronicle that President Sirleaf has done much harm to her hard- earned reputation over the years. He said further that she may not realize it now because greed has blinded her eyes and hardened her heart. If someone so close to her as George Soros can cut his support, then her reputation is battered.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Jun 2013 21:43:41 +0000
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