NEC BOSS, HON DAVIDETTA LASSANAH RUBBISHES LACC INVESTIGATION REPORT
By: Amelia Reeves
SINKOR-LIBERIA: The National Election Commission (NEC) Chairperson has termed as false and misleading corruption claims levied against her in the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission Investigation report.
Madam Davidetta Brown-Lassanah at a Press conference held late Sunday evening on December 19, 2021, at the headquarters of the NEC said the LACC conducted an investigation and its outcome claimed that she made certain admission of guilt during her appearance before the LACC, “this is false and misleading”.
Recently, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission LACC, released its investigative corruption report in which the NEC boss was held liable for the hiring of thermometers that cost over US$180,000.
The LACC investigation revealed that Madam Davidetta Browne Lansanah admitted and confirmed to the investigation that Mr. David Brown, Vice President for Operations of TUMA Enterprises who was granted the contract was her brother from the same father, while Arnold Badio, owner and incorporator of Tuma Enterprise Inc, was a brother to Madam David Browne Lasanah from the same Mother.
The LACC report noted that the National Elections Commission also awarded a certificate of Completion to Tuma Enterprises on October 24, 2021, and paid a full amount of US$182,320.00 while the stipulated date for the contract to end was November 20, 2021.
Reacting to the the LACC report, NEC boss said she appeared before the LACC with her legal counsel and submitted to documents that were requested by LACC along with written statement.
Madam Brown-Lassanah noted that at no time during the LACC investigation did any of the commissioners ever make an admission of guilt as falsely being stated by the LACC.
“As we await the LACC’s report to provide a detailed response, we note that the Liberian Constitution instructs that an announcement to pursue an indictment should not raise an inference of guilt as all accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law,” The NEC’s said.
Madam Brown-Lassanah noted that NEC is currently focused on the critical role it has to play in conducting free, fair, credible, and transparent elections in the country by 2023.
She said out of advice for her lawyers and respect for the LACC as another government institution “We remained silent even in the face of the weekly prejudicial leaks by the LACC to certain local dailies claiming it had found criminal wrongdoing against us but was receiving political pressure concerning the investigation, never before has such calculated and coordinated leaks been seen in the LACC Investigative history”, She concluded.
