John Morlu has penned a detailed commentary on his social media page, critiquing former President George Weah for his failure to hold Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Joseph Boakai accountable during their 12 years in power, a period marked by widespread corruption. The intent of the piece remains ambiguous—whether to affirm Sirleaf and Boakai’s alleged wrongdoing or to expose Weah and his alleged corrupt administration.
Morlu’s commentary, “Sirleaf’s 12 Years: $1.23 Billion ‘Stolen,’ Weah and His Team Cried Foul,” urges readers to reflect on the state of Liberia. He asserts that if this information doesn’t stir outrage, then it’s hard to see what might compel action to rescue the country. The commentary suggests that Weah and the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) are attempting to conceal corrupt activities, banking on the hope that JNB will also turn a blind eye. An insightful Liberian remarked, “Ellen’s people are panicking. They had a quid pro quo with CDC not to audit. When they squeeze Tweah, he will talk!”
The atmosphere within the CDC is one of regret, with members turning against each other for persuading Weah not to audit Sirleaf and Boakai’s years of “gross corruption.” Sirleaf herself admitted in her farewell address that her greatest regret was not fighting corruption more vigorously, leaving Liberia in a state of disarray.
The facts are stark: Weah seized an opportunity to exploit the system when he took office, surrounded by a group of young idealists who quickly recognized the benefits of maintaining the corrupt status quo. In a now-infamous debate, the disgraced Sam Tweah disparaged Morlu, claiming, “For John Morlu, everything is about corruption. He wants to witch-hunt Sirleaf. That’s not our business. We are moving on.” Ironically, Tweah now finds himself lamenting a “witch hunt.”
Weah once sought advice from Morlu, who urged him—just as he had with Boakai—to end impunity by reviewing 12 years of audit reports, initiating special investigations into 27 potential fraud cases he identified, and proceeding with prosecution. Initially, Weah agreed, but two months later, he retreated.
Justice Minister Dean supported two of the fraud investigations, which could have potentially yielded a $600 million windfall for Liberia, led by a Portuguese forensic team in collaboration with local officials. However, Dean lacked the resolve to push for these investigations and ultimately shied away from his responsibilities.
Inside information from the CDC indicates that Emmanuel Shaw, Archie Bernard, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, and Charles Bright allegedly discouraged any pursuit of Ellen. Under pressure, Weah eventually arrested Sirleaf’s son and Governor Weeks over the $16 billion scandal, yet left Tweah unscathed despite his controversial $25 million mop-up operation, which involved distributing funds to fictitious money changers according to GAC reports. Boakai must avoid repeating Weah’s errors by allowing untouchables to evade scrutiny.
Following the arrest of Charles Sirleaf and a contentious response from Madam Sirleaf on the BBC, Weah expressed interest in a comprehensive audit of Sirleaf’s 12 years in office but was once again swayed by Shaw and his executive team.
As pressure mounted over his failure to combat corruption, Morlu said he received a call from President Weah, who was joined by Koijee, Tweah, and Archie Bernard, asking for permission to put him on speaker. Morlu declined to engage with Tweah due to past insults, he narrated. Nonetheless, Weah invited Morlu to lead his Asset Recovery Team. Morlu emphasized the complexities of the role and suggested drafting a Terms of Reference (ToR) to clarify expectations. While Weah agreed, Bernard struggled to find a standard template.
Morlu collaborated with a few Liberians and the World Bank’s stolen asset initiative to create a ToR, which included a pre-condition demanding that Weah publicly disclose the source of funds for his 40-unit complex, a move to test Weah’s sincerity. However, shortly after submitting the ToR, Morlu received a call from Nathaniel McGill, who informed him that Weah intended to appoint him as Asset Recovery Boss, but the appointment was ultimately rescinded in favor of the sanctioned Solicitor General Cyphus.
On August 1, 2024, numerous CDC members reached out to Morlu, expressing regret for not holding Boakai and Sirleaf accountable. Allegations have surfaced, claiming that Robert Sirleaf and NOCAL misappropriated $200 million in 2013/2014, with accusations flying that Sirleaf and Boakai “stole” $1.23 billion. The moral of this narrative is clear: the revelation of $1.23 billion stolen and covered up by Weah and the CDC represents a profound dereliction of duty—a known act of corruption. The public’s ire should be directed at Weah, not Boakai.
Weah is not genuinely pursuing peace and democracy; rather, he seeks to protect Boakai as he did with Sirleaf. Morlu’s frustration with Weah is palpable, as he condemns the blatant cover-up of such extensive state looting.
Weah should not hold any public office for his role in concealing a crime of which he was fully aware. Furthermore, questions linger about Acarus Gray and his report on Chevron’s $10 million donation. Despite an investigation launched by his committee, the final report remains hidden.
Boakai must not waste time revisiting the past 12 years. As previously stated in the campaign, audits and investigations should focus solely on Weah and Boakai’s own administration. The fight against corruption is absolute: if you stole, you will be held accountable. The argument that others are corrupt too is invalid. The cycle of corruption that has plagued Liberia since JJ Roberts’ time must come to an end.
As Boakai begins his journey, we will monitor and document for potential future prosecutions of his administration if he fails to act against corruption. Many Liberians, including Morlu, work tirelessly abroad to support families back home, while a select few exploit their positions for personal gain. This is infuriating.
Is Liberia so enticing that individuals can enter government and instantly become wealthy? It’s time for the Diaspora to unite. Let the CDC, UP, LP, LPP, and others convene and allow the true professionals and honest workers to lead a revolution against the entrenched corruption.
In Morlu’s view, all these individuals are merely fat cats and government entrepreneurs, leveraging their positions for quick riches. Weah has covered up a significant economic crime. Any CDC member claiming knowledge of UP’s past misdeeds should face immediate arrest for economic conspiracy against Liberia and its impoverished citizens. This represents a grave economic crime conspiracy orchestrated by George Weah and his associates, motivated by their own greed.
Share this widely, so every Liberian can grasp the extent of these corrupt actions. Examine the current and former officials of the Liberian government and question whether they genuinely earned their wealth. The truth is evident: they stole it.
