Filed in by Olando Testimony Zeongar – 0776819983/0880-361116/life2short4some@yahoo.com
Monrovia – Even though he is on record for intimating that members of the National Legislature cannot be called in for questioning by the US-hired team of international forensic investigators currently probing the saga regarding billions of Liberian dollar banknotes that have reportedly gone missing, House Speaker Bhofal Chambers has somersaulted on his previous assertions, blaming it on what he claims is the misinterpretation of his statement by the local media.
A statement released last weekend by Speaker Chambers’ office says its attention has been drawn to media reports misinterpreting the context of comments coming out of the recently held press conference by Speaker Bhofal Chambers.
According to the statement, the local media reportage coming out of Speaker Chambers’ last week Thursday press conference was packaged with insinuation or disinformation, adding that these reports were far-fetched and disingenuous to the actual intent and statement of the Speaker.
But Punch online service recalls that at his last week Thursday press conference at the Capitol, the Speaker, in response to a reporter’s inquiry as to whether the National Legislature has been summoned by the international investigative panel probing the hassles over the ‘missing billions’ in Liberian currency, Speaker Chambers said, “this Legislature cannot be invited by any institution. This Legislature brings checks and balances.”
He went on to further state that instead of members of the Legislature being summoned to answer to queries the international investigative team might have, it is rather the Legislature that is under constitutional obligation to call in anybody for questioning.
“This Legislature is under constitutional obligation to call anybody for questioning,” Speaker Chambers said.
“The people from the FBI know contemporary Democracy; they know contemporary constitution. They will never think of inviting the House of Representatives for an investigation doing so will be a failure on their part,” Speaker Chambers further said.
He continued: “There was some speculations that the chief clerk was invited and if that is true it was an oversight and people involved have settled that, but this body cannot be invited for investigation.”
He averred that the House of Representatives has not been formally informed about the investigators’ intent to summon the lawmakers, adding, “this house is a house that is open, and if people want to come here to make request, and if the request is granted, they come. But to this date, or this moment, there has been no such case.”
However, the statement from the Speaker’s office, signed by his Political Officer George D. Watkins, says “Speaker Chambers’ assertion to news men in Monrovia has been taken out of context,” quoting the Speaker of changing gear on his previous uncooperative posture, now fine-tuning same by stating that he “will cooperate with the independent investigators if any interest shall arise, but such will be done on the path of collaboration and not subordinating the House as a body through summon or any other means of submission on doctrine of compel compliance.”
Punch contacted Speaker Chambers’ political officer Watkins last weekend, and he promised to make available the full video recording of the Speaker’s last week Thursday press conference, stating that he would also make same available for public consumption on social media, as a way of vindicating his boss. But up to the time this report was published, he had not sent any such video to Punch, nor has this institution seen said video on any social media site.
Rather, what Punch has seen, is a video clip in which Speaker Chamber is clearly seen and heard stating: “this Legislature is the fulcrum of the democracy that we have – this Legislature cannot be invited by any institution – this Legislature brings checks and balances.”
‘Speaker under fire’
Since the hosting of his press conference at which he stated that legislators would not be subjected to the international forensic investigative panel in the ongoing probe regarding the ‘missing’ 16 billion Liberian dollar banknotes, he has come under fire from several Liberians including politicians and civil society actors.
Among those who have chided the Speaker for his anti-investigation rant so far, are the the vice chairman for political affairs of the opposition Liberty Party (LP), Abraham Darius Dillon; the chairman of the local pressure group Concerned Citizens United to Bring Our Money Back (COCUBOMB), Martin K.N. Kollie; and a colleague of Speaker Chambers, Grand Bassa County District #4 lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Rep Sir-Vicent Samuel Teenezee Willie.
Dillon has since blasted Speaker Chambers, describing his (Speaker Chambers’) assertion as not only being irresponsible and reckless, but a one that seeks to undermine the ‘missing billions’ probe and dampen the desire and right of the public to know the facts and truth of what Dillon calls “this grave matter.”
“Chambers’ statement, if effected, can also constitute obstruction of justice for which he should be arrested and prosecuted,” said Dillon, who has made a call for all 72 other members of the 73-member House of Representatives to distance themselves from their Speaker on his rant to exempt legislators from the ‘missing money’ probe.
“I am challenging conscious-minded Members of the House of Representatives to publicly distance themselves from the statement made by Speaker Bhofal Chambers against the ongoing probe into the reported “missing” billions of Liberian Dollars,” Dillon wrote on Social media Friday.
Also, the chairman of COCUBOMB, Martin, among other things, lambasted Speaker Chambers, for his rants over the exclusion of lawmakers from the ongoing investigation in the reported disappearance of billions of Liberian dollar banknotes.
Martin challenged Speaker Chambers to show any provision in Liberia’s 1986 Constitution or any law of the land that prevents legislators from being investigated for alleged corruption, least to mention the missing LRD$16 billion corruption scandal, which Kollie and his group describe as “mass looting” under the watch of President George Weah.
He charged Chambers of being the most inconsistent, incompetent, corrupt and rubber-stamped Speaker since Liberia gained independence in 1847, adding that for these reasons, the ruling party Maryland County Rep and House Speaker needs to be impeached or be compelled to resign.
For his part, Grand Bassa County Representative Willie Grand Bassa sharply disagrees with Speaker Bhofal Chambers over his (Speaker Chambers’) assertions that legislators are exempted from probe being conducted by international forensic investigators regarding some LRD$16 billion that have reportedly gone missing.
In reaction to the Speaker’s anti-investigation rant, Rep Willie says “Absolutely no one is above the law.”
Barely a day after Speaker Chambers told a press conference that “this Legislature cannot be invited by any institution. This Legislature brings checks and balances,” Rep Willie wrote on his official Facebook page: “No provision/s of our Constitution/LAW that prohibits a perceived person/s of interest (Legislature, Executive, Judiciary, Civil Society Actor/s or Ordinary Citizen/s) from being investigated and or prosecuted for an alleged crime against This COUNTRY “Liberia”/and it’s People.”
“Hence, Article 97 of our Constitution is only applicable to folks of the PRC and their Associates, Sponsors and Supporters of the Council for their action/s or alleged contribution/s on April 12, 1980 and the period before the coming into force of this current Liberia Constitution,” the Grand Bassa County lawmaker added.
He reminded Speaker Chambers that “We all know and experienced the history and dirty results of very impoverished living condition and rampant corruption in Liberia,” pointing to similar occurrences in the past as further reminder for the Speaker.
Rep Willie further wrote: “Just for knowledge, we have witnessed the following in Liberia: A sitting Speaker being accused of corruption, investigated and put on trial along with a current Senator; Former heads of state of Liberia being investigated and put on trial (one for war crimes and the other for corruption); A Chief Justice put on trial and an associate justice being accused and readied for trial; Ordinary citizens being investigated, put on trial and incarcerated for alleged crimes.”
“Finally, we wait to see a perceived person/s of interest that is above the LAW!!” The Grand Bassa County lawmaker concluded.
