|
Bribery scandal: Rep confirms recorded voice but... |
|
|
|
Written by Wellington Geevon Smith
|
|
Wednesday, 02 April 2008 |
One of the lawmakers at the center of the bribery claim at the House says his voice is actually on the cassette recordings presented by Edwin Snowe.
Representative Saar Gbollie however, said the manner and form his voice was recorded by former Speaker Snowe is illegal and questionable.
Representative Gbollie said his voice was unlawfully recorded during his interaction with Mr. Snowe when he was Speaker.
Representative Gbollie termed his voice recording obtained by the former Speaker as a trash and a material not admissible into evidence.
The Margibi lawmaker spoke Wednesday in his official rebuttal to the audio recording presented by Mr. Snowe to the House Judiciary Committee.
The three other lawmakers who appeared before the Committee did not confirm nor denied their voices on the audio cassettes adduced by Mr. Snowe.
Representatives Kettehkumuehn Murray, Samuel Bondo and Rufus Gbeor asked the Judiciary Committee to dismiss the audio recordings as it is not admissible in court under the Liberian law.
The probe into the bribery claim has been adjourned until a suitable date is agreed by all parties to argue the case.
Meanwhile, one of the accused representatives has launched a stinging attack on civil society groups observing the bribery investigation.
Representative Rufus Gbeor says civil society groups observing the bribery probe are irrelevant to the process.
Representative Gbeor said any civil society groups desirous of withdrawing from the investigation should immediately leave and stop making noise.
The Grand Gedeh lawmaker who is being investigated in connection with the bribery claim was responding to threats by the observers to withdraw from the probe.
Responding to Representative Gbeor, the civil society groups observing the bribery probe described the statement by lawmaker Gbeor as unacceptable.
A representative of the United Methodist Human Rights Monitor Jefferson Natt said it was too soon for lawmaker Gbeor to begin jittering.
The representative of the Inter Religious Council of Liberia Habib Sheriff said Representative Rufus Gbeor made the statement out of frustration.
Still at the Capitol, former Speaker Edwin Snowe said he secretly recorded the confession of the lawmakers in self defense after he alarmed a conspiracy to remove him.
Mr. Snowe maintained the bribery took place to press for his removal.
He said all of the four lawmakers at the center of the bribery claim confirmed receiving five thousand U.S. dollars each in bribe.
Representative Snowe said the lawmakers directly named the current Speaker Alex Tyler as the chief disbursing officer of the money.
At the same time, the Coalition of Political Party Youths called on the ICGL to place a traveling ban on the entire membership of the House of Representatives.
The ICGL is the International Contact Group on Liberia which has oversight responsibility on the Liberian peace process.
The Chairman of the coalition said the bribery allegation has not only tinted the image of the House but embarrassed all well-meaning Liberians.
Mr. Daniel Fassah said the bribery claim was contributing to the poverty rate in the country because donors are nervous of sending money to Liberia.
Mr. Fassah told Star Radio his institution was doing a formal letter to the ICGL, highlighting the development at the House of Representatives.
He said another letter would be circulated to embassies near Monrovia including the U.S. Embassy, seeking enforcement of the traveling ban.
According to Mr. Fassah, a credible committee must be set up to investigate and bring the bribery probe to a logical conclusion.
 Be first to comment this article | |
Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.3.0 |
Listen to CTN, STAR Radio's sister station in Sierra Leone, with easy one-click streaming! 
