The Liberian Government, through the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) and the Ministry Finance, has identified the brains behind the transfer of US$1,171,751 from the CBL to a local commercial bank, Ecobank, using a forged signature of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to execute the transfer.

At least 6 suspects have been nabbed by state security while 8 executive employees at both the CBL and the Finance Ministry have been suspended as investigation into the sham continues.

Addressing a joint CBL-Ministry of Finance press conference in Monrovia yesterday, Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan said a suspended employee of the CBL identified as Mr. Gbotee Peabody has been identified as the mastermind behind the fraud, while the Ministry has suspended, with immediate effect, three staffs of the Revenue Data Capture and Reconciliation Unit, pending the conclusion of investigation into the case.

Peabody was recently suspended and is currently undergoing investigation in connection with the recycled checks scandal at the CBL.

Investigation reveals that Peabody recruited Marc Jusu Passawe, who was also recently suspended by the Ministry of Finance in connection with an on-going investigation into a forgery case at the Ministry of Finance, to carry on the evil deal, Ngafuan said.

Peabody is said to have enticed Marc Jusu Passawe with a US$250,000 offer in exchange for Passawe’s expertise as a forger of documents. Marc Jusu Passawe has confessed to investigators that he forged the signatures of officials of the Ministry of Finance on the letter sent to the Central Bank in order to consummate the fraudulent transaction, Ngafuan disclosed.

Passawe then enlisted his brother (Richard Passawe) whose ID was used to open the fraudulent account in the name of E Jee Sirleaf, the Finance Minister claimed, adding that Alfred Kowbeidu is said to have been enlisted to facilitate passage of the fraudulent transaction through Central Bank control measures.

Source: The Informer | Kaihenneh Sengbeh.

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