20100104
ALLAFRICA

The much-expected Ministry of Information audit has ended, concluding that the Minister, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Bropleh defrauded government of over US$200,000 via series of fraudulent schemes. Criminal prosecution against him has been recommended.

A forensic audit into a financial scandal at the Ministry revealed that the now suspended Minister was involved in fraudulent processing and payments of salaries and allowances to several ghost employees for his personal benefits.

To effect such criminal scheme, the General Auditing Commission (GAC), which conducted the audit, noted in its report that the Rev. Bropleh immensely interfered with financial transactions resulting into "system failure and complete breakdown of internal control".

"...Undeniably, calculated intent to defraud the Government was found with the transactions undertaken by the Minister from the onset of the transactions to the consummation of what is now known as fraudulent payroll transactions. In other words, the intent to defraud the Government began with the appointments of the questionable Foreign Mission personnel and these appointments were made solely by the Minister of MICAT. The placement of staff and approval of payroll were also done by the Minister.

"It is categorically concluded that the Minister is accountable for misappropriating for his personal benefits the total remuneration of US$262,772.73...." portion of the audit stated demanding him to restitute the embezzled amount and his prosecution too.

The GAC recommended that, Minister. Bropleh "should be made to immediately restitute US$262,772.73. This represents the funds he misappropriated from the fraudulent processing and payments of salaries to four ghost names in the amount of US$207,160.72, the US$21,807.08 he misappropriated from the salaries and allowances paid in the name of Bernard Waritay, the US$13,855.20 he misappropriated from the salaries and allowances paid in the name of James Essieh, US$9, 569.73 he authorized and paid to ghost worker Nathaniel Walker and US$10,380.00 he authorized withdrawn from the operating account of MICAT at the CBL.

Minister Bropleh should be made to restitute the total at an interest determined by the

Minister of Finance on the basis of prevailing market rate, compounded monthly since salary and allowances are paid on a monthly basis.

" The Government of Liberia, through the Minister of Justice, should institute the appropriate legal procedure to remedy the fraudulent payroll transaction committed by Minister Laurence K. Bropleh,".

The audit also recommended the extradition of former Assistant information Minister Sam Abu now in the United States to account for his role in the placement of ghost on the ministry payroll.

Besides the payroll audit, the Audit Commission discovered various questionable deals including fake foreign travels and companies involving Rev Bropleh and some deputies. That audit report is pending with indications that thousands of dollars were siphoned