Liberia: Finance Dismisses Employees for Malpractices
November 30, 2007

Finance Minister, Antoinette Sayeh

Following a week-long investigation, the Finance Ministry has dismissed three of its employees from the Revenue Department with immediate effect.

The three employees were dismissed for practicing dishonesty in the discharge of their duties. A Finance Ministry release said those dismissed are Acting Director for Tax Enforcement, Mr. Wellington Bedell, Administrative Assistant in the Office of the Assistant Minister for Revenue, Mr. Stanilus Wisseh and Senior Inspector in the Small Tax Unit, Mr. Putu Sayeh.

The ministry's action follows an investigative report by the Security Monitoring Division. The investigative report among other things, found the three dismissed employees culpable for attempting to illegally encash two manager's checks issued to the Government of Liberia(GOL) as withholding taxes for employees of an International Non-governmental Organization operating in the country.

The release disclosed that the three dismissed employees will shortly be turned over to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution for acts of illegality relative to the encashment and attempted encashment of three manager's checks payable to the Government of Liberia as tax revenue totaling over US$54,000.00 (Fifty Four Thousand United States Dollars).

The Ministry has also suspended with immediate effect its Principal Director for Medium Tax Unit, Mr. Kolo Norris for gross negligence in the discharge of his oversight and supervisory duties culminating into the lost of two manager's checks payable to the government as tax revenue.

Meanwhile, the Acting Minister of Finance, Mr. Tarnue Mawolo has re-emphasized the ministry's commitment to upholding standards of honesty and integrity in public service management.