Folks let me make this clarification I Paul Robinson is not the author of this article on the former Justice Minister. I just took interest in it for the public consumption and decided to post it on facebook. I got the article from three local newspapers namely: inquirer, heritage, and the independent. The real author of the article is Solomon Grant from Fiamah. I contacted Mr. Grant and he told me his publication on the former justice minister is a three series one this is just the first. See part II of the 1st publication UNVEILING COUNSELOR CHRISTIANA TAH MASK OF INCOMPETENCE, TREACHERY, VINDICTIVENESS DECIET AND CORRUPTION. The Human Trafficking investigation conducted was a ruse and scam used to get Counselor Freddie Taylor out of the Ministry and damage his reputation as was promised. But how would that be executed was her headache. Sensing that the President was fastly becoming conscious of her bullying attitude towards her deputies and others, she needed to present a picture of grave international dimension that would propel the president to urgently act upon. The Human Trafficking situation presented the golden opportunity. Furthermore, she couldn’t link only her deputy in the report, as it would become suspicious. To give the report credence and professional flavor, she was advised by Kromah, and Budy to include the names of all those who directly or indirectly had a role in the trafficking Saga. Budy name was included as a scam agreed upon. Indian Counsel Jetty was also included as scapegoat. At the Conference held in Tanzania, Counselor Freddie Taylor was presenting a paper on the Ramifications of Human Trafficking and Its Attending Consequences in World Torn Countries when his dismissal was announced. He got a stunning reception thereafter. Unknowing to him, the news was circulated among st the conferees. Imagine the embarrassment, emotional, and metal torture he endured in that country. His firstly dial his Boss, the Minister to understand the dimension of what was obtaining, but all her numbers were perpetually switch off. Back home, the story made headlines with his name highlighted in all the dailies. That evening BBC, VOA, and other International News Organs heralded the story worldwide. He text a Liberian Journalist and tried to explain his side of the story, cautioning him to be aware of several of his media colleagues, as they were on the Minister’s payroll through a Mobile Phone Executive. When he returned Minister Tah, his boss refused to grant him audience. Today, licking his wounds with the allegation of being a Human Trafficker weighting heavily on his head, he is surviving through menial legal clients which wages are insufficient to underwrite his expenses and explaining his ordeal to almost everyone he encounter with a vow to get even one day….. Although she knew there was no magnitude in her so-called investigative report, with Freddie out of her way as Deputy Minister, she in a 360 degree turnaround, wrote a letter to the President dated July 4 2013, coded CPT/MOJ/ AG/RL/391/’13, and recommended that the President appoint a Committee to investigate the findings of the MOJ in the case of dismissed officials for their participation in Human Trafficking. The President with abiding trust and confidence, not detecting her game plan, constituted a three man committee headed by Ambassador Company Wesseh, Minister of State without portfolio, included Counselor J. Laveli Supuwood, Former Solicitor General, and Minister of Justice, and Labor respectively, and Mrs. Mariama Brown, wife of a prominent religious leader, Kortu Brown, amongst others. At the end of the conduct of their investigation, nothing evidential was discovered that warranted the commission of the crime of human trafficking, as was included in Minister Tah’s recommendation. The Commission therefore recommended the reinstatement of those dismissed. See (Presidential Committee to further investigate MOJ Findings on Dismissed Officials, 16 July, 2013) Upon receipt of the report, the President forwarded same to Minister Tah for review and advisement. Instead of adhering to the recommendations of the Committee’s Report in its entirety, she implored the President to only reinstate Robert Budy, as Deputy Commissioner for Operations, Bureau of Immigration. All through the so-called “dismissal period” Budy was conducting the affairs of his office and was receiving his salary and allowances upon the Minister Tah’s directive. An innocent employee of the bureau, Wilson Garpeh , a non presidential appointee, who acted upon the directive of Budy, his boss was never reinstated until quite recently, after her resignation, notwithstanding the Committee’s recommendations. Counselor Freddie Taylor was eventually replaced with Counselor Wheatonia Dixon Barnes, a career administrator, and a professional credentialed lady who served in several high profiled capacities including the NPA, Youth and Sports, Foreign Affairs, and LRRC. The appointment of Counselor Barnes took Minister Tah by surprise, as she was bracing herself to recommend another successor as usual. To thwart Counselor Barnes confirmation, paid agents including media personalities, and fly by night pressure groups were finance and unleashed by Minister Tah to spew negative propaganda both in the print and electronic media prior to her appearance for confirmation. The efforts became a fruitless exercise as not a single fault could be identified on Counselor Barnes who was confirmed overwhelmingly. Several months after Counselor Barnes’ confirmation, Minister Tar was banned by the Supreme Court for disrespect to that August Body. By statute, the principal deputy minister is mandated to act as minister. While under suspension, she opted to tele-guide and remotely manage activities at the Ministry. On one occasion she directed that payments in tens of thousands of USD be paid to (BMC), a building material store on the Capitol Bye Pass. The directive was rejected by the Acting Minister based on intangible documents to substantiate said payments. After the Supreme Court lifted her ban, she hurriedly returned to work. Her first action executed was to rescind all major decisions made by Counselor Barnes as Acting Minister without any consultation whatsoever. Tension began to brew between both of them, until Counselor Barnes left for the U.S. prior to the heightened of the Ebola situation to firstly undergo routine medical check-up, and to visit her husband, Mr. Cecil Barnes, a sports enthusiast of Invincible Eleven (I.E) fame who was due to also undergo a major surgery. As the Ebola pandemic intensified, the President issued a Policy pronouncement with few exceptions that all Presidential appointees in Government who are out of the Country should return within a week or risk dismissal. Again Minister Tah was given another blank check to effect her scheme to extract a pound of blood from Counselor Barnes who was still out of the country after the expiration of the one week’s ultimatum. Counselor Barnes had earlier written to the President through her boss, the Minister requesting an excuse, but her communication was never forwarded, or submitted to the President neither was the President notified about Counselor Barnes’ absence from the country. After the expiration of the one week Presidential ultimatum, all heads of ministries and agencies under the Executive were mandated to submit the names of all officials out of the country. Minister Tah without any delay forwarded the names of Counselor Barnes, and painfully added two of her other junior ministers similarly situated including Hilary Siakor Sirleaf, Assistant Minister for Corrections, and Mrs. Victoria Sherman Lang, Deputy Minister for Codification. Both Ministers were her recruits, and the only friends she had at the Ministry. They were dismissed together with Counselor Barnes. Others affected by Minister Tar’s wrath included Counselor Annie Wesley Swen, who served as Assistant Minister for Administration. Wesley, recruited by Minister Banks, and considered one of his confidant, was berated in the midst of visiting guest from the UN as only possessing knowledge of snatching what does not belong to her. When asked what was the meaning of her statement she reminded Counselor Wesley to retrospect an incident of1994 the day of her wedding. Counselor Wesley response was blunt, and clear.’ Your time will come one day’. She resigned, and currently works with the UN. Asatu Bah Kenneth, who replaced Counselor Wesley, was branded as being sluggish on the job as a result of physical impairment. She replaced Bah-Kenneth with Atty. Oretha Snyder, who earlier served as her eighth Special Assistant in two years. She would later fall out with Atty. Snyder for befriending a gentleman she considered an eternal enemy. Snyder left the Ministry to attain further education. Amidst bitter exchanges, Atty. Annette McGee, head of the Child Adoption Section resigned because of incessant insults on her person and family who Minister Tah characterized as imprudent and lacked home training. She subsequently appointed the wife of T. Nelson Williams, Managing Director of LPRC, a business partner to succeed Ms. McGee. Both she and T. Nelson run and oil and gas partnership. After her resignation, both met at the residence of the Resident Head of an International Gas Distributorship for revision of their partnership and a possible buyout by Mr. Williams who opted to buy her entire shares. The details will be provided in part two of this article. Heads of auxiliary security agencies under the ambit of the Justice Ministry were not spare her wrath. At the Liberia National Police, from the onset of her tenure to the time Marc Amblard was replaced, there was no cooperation whatsoever emanating from her end. Most decisions made at the police were either rescinded, or condemned. On several occasions, whenever the police took a position on matters of grave importance bordering on law enforcement, the Minister Tah will have a contrary version 360 degree at variance with that of the police. There was complete breakdown of confidence and trust subsisting between the office of the Director, and the Minister. As a means to undermine Director Amblard, she initiated the appointment of Ms. Rose Stryker, who earlier worked in her office as an errand girl to replace Samuel Darkinah as Deputy Director/ Administration. Ms. Stryker is a non police material in terms of experience and training. Her only credential in the realm of security has to do with being employed with a private Guard Service in the U.S. and assigned at the Federal Express Building entrance with primary responsibility to welcome and escort customers and visitors. The situation between the Police Director, and the Minister took a crisis proportion until public outcry heightened for the President to dismiss both of them for ineffectiveness and lack of commonness of purpose in the discharge of their respective statutory mandates. See (FrontPage Vol. 6 NO. 56 Wednesday November, 16 2011 edition.) The final straw that broke the camel back has to do with the November 7th crisis on the compound of the CDC in the aftermath of the runoff election in 2011 where a shootout occurred. Accusations and counter accusations ensued between both Government and the CDC. Instead of fostering a united approach, The Police and Justice Ministry had contrary versions as to the actual occurrence. That led to Madam President to constitute a Special Presidential Commission headed by Sister Mary Lauren Browne, OSF of the Catholic Church as Chairman amongst other distinguished personalities. After the conduct of a thorough investigation, the Commission proffered several recommendations and blamed the Justice Minister of maintaining inadequate communication with the Police Director, Marc Amblard. See (5.1.4.1 of the report of the November 7, 2011 Acts of Violence & Civil Disturbances: Special Independent Commission of Inquiry.) Such was Minister Tah’s disposition with the Police under Marc Amblard until he was removed and replaced by current Director Masaquoi, who too endured continuous non cooperative posture and series of undermines through Rose Stryker, a god daughter of the Minister, who was subsequently booked by the PPCC of violating its act of 2010 for illegally nullifying a bid document signed between the police and a Liberian owned business in favor of a Lebanese merchant for kickbacks. Other surrogates such as Yeke Kolubah, a deactivated police officer of former President Taylor fame was hired and promised an enormous sum of USD to besmear the image of the Police under Director Massaquoi in the media to undermine his administration. In her scam, Mr. Kolubah was to rain insults on Director Massaquoi for weeks on various talk shows sponsored and paid for. He recorded their transactions when she refused to honor her payment. He earlier boasted of his inroads with Minister Tah, and revealed how he was paid to execute a special operation campaign on her behalf against what she dubbed as “Chris Massaquoi Police.” Additionally, whenever there were important exchanges of communications between the Police and the Ministry, in a twinkling of an eye, same will be leaked to the media by the Minister through her Public Relations Officer name Maud. The most recent had to do with a classified communication dated September 3, 2014, addressed to her seeking authorization for the Police to “speak” with senior Government officials named in a report of a local daily as “progenitors” of a planned interim government. The next day said communication made headlines in the media. The hauling and pulling continued until she announced her so-called resignation. During the five years she served as Justice Minister, there were never a single audit conducted with the millions of USD she presided over through budgetary allotments, and stakeholders (JSTF) funds. What a sham for someone who professed to resigned because of the lack of transparency, and failure to adhered to the rule of law. When former Auditor General John Morlu requested that she avail the ministry to audit so as to remove the cloud of suspicion thereat, his request was met with hash reaction. Her brawl did not stop with only her colleagues, staffers and others under the ambit of the Ministry of Justice. At the onset of the Dr Chris Toe vrs Rodney Sieh (Front page), Atty. Kofi Woods, one of Sieh’s counsels expressed dismay over the Ministry’s poor handling of the case, and pinpointed the violations of Sieh’s human rights. He specifically urged the Minister to ensure that justice prevail to his client. In response as usual, she sarcastically replied Atty. Woods to instead of being idle, go to school, educate himself on the rudiments of prosecution, and utilize the library to research the law. See (Public Agenda October 12, 2013 edition.) On one occasion, she slammed the door in the face of Mrs. Clavender Parker in the Conference Room of the Foreign Ministry, and dashed out in rage, simply because she refused to adhered to a piece of advice proffered her in reference to her hostile attitude in dealing with people. Minister Tah was at the center of the many gossips, and backbiting amongst her ministerial colleagues. Prior to Ellen Cockrum’s tape recordings, of the Police Director, and Defense Minister, she and an emerging politician, and businessman met Cockrum on October 6, 2012 at a secured villa on the out sketch of Monrovia to hatch the plan. The intent was to project the President’s Security Heads as disloyal, dishonest and less credible simply because she saw them as stumbling blocks in her way to preside, control and make final decisions concerning all security matters in the country. After she succeeded with Massaquoi, and Samukai her schemers designed another plan to include Fumba Sirleaf, the National Security Agency Director, and son of the President. Strategy was designed but not executed based on her accomplice advise against such a feat, as indications from their contacts suggested the sophisticated and conservative nature of Fumba who would suspect something sinister, and therefore launch a sting operations on them which would open a dimension they were unprepared to undergo. They however made several phone calls to him but went unanswered. The Fumba mission was abandoned. Dr. Fahnbulleh was the next in line to be recorded. Prior to that, Minister Tah cautioned Ms. Caukrum to beware of his fiery intellectual exploits and towering personality which she described as “intimidating, but amounted to nothing”. Despite securing an appointment, Cockrum declined at the last minute to honor the appointment, to the dislike of the Minister. In one National Security Council Meeting, she argued that as Minister of Justice, and Chairman of the Joint Security, under whose authority most of the security outlets falls, the exclusivity to make recommendations and determine the heads of all security organizations under her Ministry should rest with her. She had earlier recommended Ms. Rose Stryker to replace Chris Massaquoi as Director of Police. Her assertion was rebuffed by National Security Advisor, Dr. Boima Fahnbulleh who referred her to the act that created the National Security Council which was approved on March 16, 2000. At the end of the meeting especially when the President departed, she began to spew less than decent remarks at Dr. Fahnbulleh because of assertions made in the meeting. She furthered by suggesting that because as the only woman within the security management realm, coupled with her higher academic qualification, made her the target of envy, hence the constant ganging up against her at these meetings. She further accused him of being a male chauvinist. Her comments was not taken lightly, as Dr. Fahnbulleh told her the only reason he decided to hold his tirades is because of the close social relationship that subsists between she and his junior brother which he described as “nebulous”. It took the President’s intervention to make her grudgingly apologize to Dr. Fahnbulleh. Few weeks thereafter a local daily carried a banner headline and public relations stint “Security Disparity” who’s benefitting from Liberia’s security allotments, with narratives taking a jibe at mainly the National Security Agency. See (FrontPage Vol. 8.No 494 Monday December 9 2013 edition) In apparent reference to Minister Tah, Former Commissioner of Immigration Counselor Abla G. Williams, currently Executive Director of LRRRC in a speech at a graduation ceremony of 234 Immigration cadets on November 9 2013,spewed her guts indicating that “gossips and breakdown in the chain of command were creating divisions in the ranks and files of security institutions in the country because instead of those with supervisory oversight of heads of security institutions dealing directly with the bosses they gave directives to subordinates without the knowledge of their bosses. The subordinates soon see themselves as sacred cows and therefore start to render disrespect to their immediate bosses. She furthered accused those who supervised heads of security institutions of introducing “extraterrestrial and ill-fated approaches” in managing those institutions, thus distracting security personnel from being professionals, and diligent in service as law enforcers. See (New Democrat Vol. 20 NO. 214 Wednesday November 13, 2013 edition) The Bureau of Immigration became her fiefdom especially after Chris Massaquoi was appointed Police Director. But prior to his departure, her first beef with him was when a mandate to employ one Abigail Hoffman, a niece, as Commander of the RIA Detachment met a hitch based on recommendations from the UNPOL Advisors after due diligence revealed that Ms. Hoffman was dismissed by Former Minister Banks for stealing and converting into her use 100 bags of rice intended for inmates while serving as head of the Monrovia Central Prison. An allegation Minister Tah would later blamed on the orchestration of her predecessor, Banks because he knew she would succeed him at Justice. Abigail was subsequently employed not as Commander of RIA, but in a nominal position based on a letter of clearance from the Tah’s Justice Ministry which exonerated her of any wrong doings. With tens of thousands of USD committed to Immigration by the Justice and Security Trust Fund for Border Management, for five regions, Minister Tah mandated that her niece, Abigail be given an assignment to be the Commander of the Maryland region, comprising Maryland, Grand Kru, Sinoe, and Grand Gedeh counties, headquartered in Harper. This region was allotted a sizeable chunk of the funds. In commissioner Massaquio’s wisdom, Abigail was unqualified to assume such onerous assignment because of image problem based on her previous record at the Monrovia Central Prison. Col. Feweh Sherman was appointed instead. Minister Tah saw the appointment of Mr. Sherman as a slap in her face. She therefore devised a scheme whereat Abigail was designated and given special assignment to control the finances which was deposited monthly in her account for the officers deployed within the region. Within three months, after assuming her new assignment the family residence of Minister Tah, located in Hoffman Station, a town across the river outside Harper city was fully renovated, transformed and modernized. Thanks to Abigail. This development didn’t go unnoticed as several officers Daily sustenance Allowance (DSA) lapsed for months despite remittance by the JSTF through the Minister’s office. Those who were lucky to receive got half of what was due them. When Col. Sherman discovered and reported the fraud, he was framed and booted out of Immigration on trumped up allegations orchestrated by Minister Tah through her Gestapo Operative, Robert Budy, Deputy Commissioner for Operation of the Bureau of Immigration. In reaction, Mr. Sherman filed a lawsuit against Minister Tah through his Lawyer, Counselor Pearl Brown Bull. As a means to appease Mr. Sherman, she sought a compromise by offering to recommend him to Madam President for a bigger position in a bid to withdraw his case. He refused. The case is pending prior to her “resignation.” Chris Massaquoi was subsequently appointed to head the Liberia National Police. Counselor Abla G. Williams, who at the time was serving as Deputy Commissioner for Naturalization was appointed to succeed Commissioner Massaquoi. Massaquoi had earlier recommended his principal Deputy for Administration, Archie P. Williams as his successor, but was vehemently opposed by Minister Tah based upon her conviction, that it would be the same as Massaquoi remaining at the helm of the Bureau, as Commissioner Archie P. Williams was considered a religious confidant to Massaquoi. The appointment of Counselor Abla Williams didn’t augur well for Minister Tah, as her recommended successor, Robert Budy, Deputy Commissioner for operations was not considered. Counselor Williams’ tenure as Commissioner of Immigration was littered with undermining of no small proportion, and magnitude. Minister Tah had no regard whatsoever for Counselor Williams, a professional colleague. Almost, all directives, decisions and operations at Immigration were handled by Budy without the knowledge of Commissioner Williams. Every assignment was sanctioned by Minister Tah. County commanders reported directly to her office through Commissioner Budy. Commissioner Williams served only in name at Immigration. She was disrespected, humiliated and insulted by Minister Tah on numerous occasions in full glare of her staffs. A lady with humbled spirit, Counselor Williams rose through the ranks and files of the security echelons, including the Liberia National Police where she was head of the Forensic Crime Laboratory. She served in several professional capacities in successive governments including Legal Counsel, Office of the Legal Advisor to Interim President Amos Sawyer, Special Assistant to Council Chairman David Kpormakpor, Winton Sankawolo, and Ruth Perry. Her previous position held included Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs, at the Ministry of Justice prior to her appointment as Deputy Commissioner for Naturalization at the Immigration Bureau. It must be noted that Budy was one of the Minister’s henchmen, whose “intelligent” services she relied upon to undermine Massaquio on several occasions which prompted Commissioner Massaquoi to write two strong worded communications to her dated June 11, and 18 2011 respectively complaining Commissioner Budy’s disrespectful attitude, couple with her constant directives given to him to execute immigration operations without his knowledge. Budy, A consummate liar, and academic fraudster, he submitted fake academic credentials to members of the Liberian Senate during his confirmation indicating that he graduated from a university named Kennedy Western University in 2005, with a B.Sc. degree in Management and Leadership. Up to the writing of this article there is no trace of a Robert Budy name in its enrollment since that University was established. It was Budy and Asumana Kromah, as stated earlier that Minister Tah utilized to scheme against Deputy Minister Freddie Taylor in the Human Trafficking ruse that got him out of the Ministry of Justice. The most pathetic act of her heartless reign at the Ministry occurred prior to the July 26 2012 Independence celebration. In a Joint Security Meeting, she out rightly told the Director of the Fire Service Bureau Col. Derrick that he is too old for the job, and would ensure that he be replaced. Shocked he retorted that her statement was tantamount to signing his death warrant, as he was the backbone of both his nucleus and extended family. Col Derrick problem aroused when he disagreed with her assertion that Fire Service was not a priority to her administration, hence she wouldn’t advocate for budgetary support. She delivered on her promise. Col. Derrick was replaced. Few months thereafter, Col. Derrick suffered stroke, and subsequently died. On his deathbed, he kept murmuring Christiana Tah, Christiana Tah, Christiana Tah several times until he gave up the ghost, and died. How heartless can one be! Col. Derrick was a founding member of the ruling Unity Party, and Special Assistant to its founder Dr. Edward B. Kessely. He played a pivitol role in convincing the party executives in 1997 to admit Madam Sirleaf as a partisan, whereat she subsequently became its Standard Bearer. Henry Shaw, Former Director of the Drug Enforcement Agency, DEA, met his fate by claiming through an argument with a friend that he endured constant hardships during Taylor’s Presidency, as he was denied employment because of his expressed support for Madam President while an Opposition Leader based in exile. He also stated that he together with others ensured that the Unity Party won the 2005 election by campaigning in shady places out of Monrovia. Based upon which, he opined that hamburger eaters from the Diaspora who didn’t even cast a single ballot are parading and positioning themselves as their supervisors, and bosses. His statement was transmitted to Minister Tah, and reframed with indications that Shaw referenced her as someone who had come from obscurity as far as the Unity Party is concerned to enjoy the benefits of their labor without playing any significant role to bring Madam President to power. Instead of ascertaining the reality from Shaw, or counter checked, she did no such thing, but rather accosted Shaw after a Joint Security Meeting and accused him of exhibiting disrespectful attitude to her. Surprised, Shaw rejected her claim, and told her that at no time did he ever do such thing. The rest is history for Shaw. He wept like an orphan child after his replacement was announced. Chief Justice Korpor too got a piece of her tongue lashing. At one of the Supreme Court’s opening last year, she boastfully told the jammed pack audience that had it not been for her instrumentality he wouldn’t be hired for the first job he obtained. After the program, scores of lawyers questioned the rationale of her statements. Some even wondered if whether she was right in thoughts before emitting statements completely unrelated to the occasion. On Saturday, April 27, 2013, she together with a former Commissioner of Maritime drove in a convoy of three separate vehicles to a resort in Cape Mount County to hatch a plan to besmear the character of Binyah Kessely of the Maritime Bureau through sustained media propaganda using the Dead Maritime Cadets situation as a launch pad. Her beef with Mr. Kessely emanated from a contract he refused to award a “friend” she recommended, who is based in the U.S. to install a Maritime Satellite connective Network through Libtelco . She later dubbed him as frisky and disrespectful by his act of refusal. The special “friend would later result as into facebook propaganda against Mr. Kessely. The former Maritime Commissioner on the other hand blamed Mr. Kessely as an underground schemer who regularly gave information to stooges to castigate his tenure at Maritime as self seeking. She would later meet with a sister of one of the deceased cadets, Henry Bryant, Ms. Patee K. Chon to be use as a conduit to the other cadets’ family to decry Binyah. See (Insight Vol. 3 NO 339, September 30, 2013 edition) Currently news abounds in media circles, and around Monrovia that the properties opposite Lone Star Cell Head Office and adjacent CDC headquarters in Congo Town containing several plush apartments belong to her and she acquired them while as Justice Minister, but used a Lebanese businessman as a front. An NBI Investigative report supports indications in that direction. Details will appear in part two of this article. At the Investiture on July 19, 2013, she made disparaging remarks against Journalist Philip Wesseh when called upon by The President to be honored. Instead of cherishing the moment for such a historic endeavor, she remarked that National Honors are losing significance with inconsequential people as benefactors. Little did she know that sitting beside her in the audience was a former in-law of Mr. Wesseh. After spewing insults on Mr. Wesseh, she would later hug him after the program. See (The inquirer, July 21 2013) Can this be someone to be taken serious? According to her, she resigned since March while serving her ban from the Supreme Court, but the President refused to honor same and told her to hold on which she did out of respect. What she didn’t tell the Liberian people is that she received her retroactive salaries and benefits in the tune of tens of thousands of USD. Now tell me isn’t that corruption perpetuated by madam clean? It is said that women are more sensitive and generous to humanity as compared to their male counterparts. But with Counselor Tah, the converse is the reality as a female relative of a police officer assigned in her office name Sheriff realized on a fateful day in September 2013. Suffering from pelvic disease, she requested assistance from the Minister as a fellow lady whom she thought would understand her plight. Appointment was made through Sheriff. With swollen legs, the lady was usher into her office. In a bid to explain her situation, Minister Tah cut in and asked for the lady’s husband. She replied that she didn’t have one. Instead of rendering the lady the much needed assistance, she blasted the daylight out of the lady, and told her that she is not running a welfare den where anybody can run for assistance when in need. Surprised and shocked, the young lady left the office with tears simmering down her cheeks. Few minutes later Sheriff gave the lady a USD ten dollars as the Minister’s assistance. See (Inquirer Friday Vol.22 N0. 154 edition.) A program to commemorate International Women Day on Saturday March 9, 2014 was planned, and Minister Tah was invited to serve as the Guest Speaker for the occasion. She consented, but later declined an hour before the commencement of the program when it was discovered that the program was to be held in the auditorium of the D. Tweh High School in the Borough of New Kru Town. She would later tell the Organizers that during the country’s glorious days, she had not ventured into ‘’that part of Monrovia”, so she see no reason of going there now. Former Minister of Labor, Counselor Juah Lawson was instead contacted and consented to honor the request of the Organizers. See (Daily Observer Vol. 16 NO.94 Tuesday, March 11, 2014 edition). Throughout the six years Counselor Tah served as Justice Minister, The U.S. Reports on the Justice Ministry had been so damning. The most recent, 2014 highlighted issues of dismal proportions that would make an interesting read, and pity Madam President for keeping such a character in that sensitive position for so long a time. For Example, it was reported that prisoners were raped, with seven deaths reported. Half of the country’s 1,827 prisoners were at the Monrovia Central Prison. What can one say about Counselor Tah concerning this episode without mentioning ineptitude? Mind you, the prisons and detention centers are a subset of the Ministry of Justice. Counselor Tah’s first official Government posting was as Assistant Minister for Correction, and Rehabilitation, although she performed dismally as alluded to earlier. It was she who recruited, and recommended Hilary Siakor Sirleaf to the President wherein he was appointed as Assistant Minister responsible for prisoners and their rehabilitation - a position, under her direct supervision. If she couldn’t supervise a small segment of her Ministry, how in the world could she then opt to supervise another Agency that is not statutorily under her command and control? After corroborating with Ellen Cockrum in their attempts to besmear well meaning officials of Government, and her failure to lure the entire security outfit into public disrepute through acts that bordered on less than desirable methods, she shamelessly resolved into blame game. One of the flimsy reasons she gave for her resignation has to do with her inability as Minister of Justice to supervise and control all Security Agencies, including the NSA, and the authority to investigate its operations. Nowhere in the Act that created the National Security Agency is it indicated that said Agency should report, or should be supervised by the Justice Ministry. The Agency, by law through its Director reports directly to the President. If in the midst of executing his duties the Director commits an act that is incompatible with his position, it is the prerogative of the President to put into operations transparent and effective mechanism in any form and manner she deem necessary to ensure that justice prevails. Likewise, if the Minister of Justice is found wanting in similar situation, the president will act likewise. If by the President constituting a commission to investigate the NSA, instead of the Justice Ministry the basis and thoughts of Minister Tah’s resignation, then Liberians had all along been in serious trouble all along during her tenure as Justice Minister. Presidential Constituted Commissions are not unique to this administration. The famous Brownnel Commission of 1979 Rice Riots incident is a case in point. Even the Late President Doe Constituted a Commission headed by the late Counselor Peter Amos George to investigate the fire truck incident which involved Dr. J.Bernard Blamo, Managing Director of the NPA at the time along with Benny Ashun, a Ghanaian Businessman. The Commission as established by Madam President headed by Counselor David Jallah to investigate the NSA was not the first of its kind under this administration. There were several Commissions set up prior to this. The Elwood Dunn E-mail Commission, The Counselor Tiawan Gongloe Commission on the Freeport saga involving former Police Director Sieh-Browne, The Counselor Negbalee Warner Hydro Carbon Commission, The Sister Mary Lauren (CDC November 7 Commission) of which Minister Tah was accused as not maintaining harmoniously working relationship with Police Director Amblard, The Comany Wesseh Human Trafficking Commission report which calls for those she implicated to be reinstated, ect, ect, ect, are few to pinpoint. How in the world would she complain that she was never given the free hand to execute her mandate, and to supervise security agencies? Contrary to that assertion, she was given the exclusivity to recommend almost all of her Deputy, and Assistant Ministers and to a larger extent, heads of the security outfits under the Justice Ministry. The only exception is the Director of Police. Even at the Police, she did recommend Rose Stryker as Deputy Director for Administration. At the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization, she recommended her brother Lemuel Reeves, and Robert Budy as Commissioner and Deputy for Operations. She also recommended the Director of the Fire Service amongst others. Even she influenced the appointments of individuals in other parastatals that did not fall under the purview of the Ministry of Justice. Her other brother Winston Reeves a drug addict who was arrested in a ghetto smoking crack was recommended to a logistical position at NOCAL where he currently works. He earlier served as Director of the Fire Service under his brother –in-law Charles Taylor Administration. What power Counselor Tah didn’t wield in this Government prior to her resignation? She had the ears of the President on almost everything. I mean almost everything. Today, Liberians and other stakeholders are criticizing the President for entering into concession agreements that didn’t meet internationally accepted benchmarks. Out of all agreements entered into by the Liberian Government, as Minister of Justice she signed sixty-two of them. As mentioned earlier, her desire to single- handedly review, analyze and conclude concessions agreements without their input led two Deputy Ministers for Economic Affairs to leave the Ministry. Doesn’t that reflect on her ineptitude? All along the years even prior to her confirmation there were indications that Counselor Tah would be an embarrassment to the Sirleaf Administration. Reliance on her so-called professional expertise, Madam President got caught up in the mess she found herself into. In her bid to save face she had to result into blame games after realizing that the President had discovered her schemes of prolonged undermines, ineptitude, and vindictiveness she opted to resign as Minister of Justice sensing dismissal which would rather be demeaning. In conclusion, I am aware that several paid personalities will in slippery attempts try to endeavor into given a rebuttal to this piece of article. It will highly be welcome as my desire will be invigorated to hurriedly publish the second and third parts which will lengthily highlight and expose the inner workings of an organized cabal set up by Counselor Tah and her coteries. This Article was written by Grant Solomon, an ardent follower of contemporary political developments especially bordering on Security Injustice and its attending corruptions. A holder of a BA degree in Sociology and Political Science from the University of Liberia, a Post Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice Intellegence from the Hammersmith College in London and a prospective student of the IBB School of International Relations. He lives on Duport Road, and formerly worked with the Force for the Eradication of Corruption in 1981 and as a Research Analyst at the Ministry of Justice in 1988. He currently runs a private Security Research Consultancy located in Fiamah.
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 13:26:03 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015