As Liberia’s National Company faces debates regarding the virgin oil sector of the country, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf continues to appoint individuals with tainted transparency records to manage the oil company, the body clothed with the responsibility of managing the oil sector of the country.
Already struggling to explain the rationale the appointment of her son, Robert Sirleaf to the oil company, the African Standard has exclusively gathered that the disgraced former Chairman of the opposition Liberty Party, Israel Akinsanya has been secretly appointed as Vice Chairman for Corporate Social Responsibility at the National Oil Company of Liberia.
Mr. Akinsanya is currently undergoing criminal prosecution for an estimated US$2.5 million fraudulent transaction with GSM giant - MTN/Lonestar Communication Corporation.
He was arrested twice, jailed and charged for allegedly issuing bad checks, totaling US$2,528,072.00 to the Lone Star Communication Corporation in business transaction.
The new NOCAL Chief, while serving as CEO for a local company, mismanaged the firms to the extent that its financial position was depleted.
To settle its huge liabilities, Akinsanya allegedly issued the checks in more than 10 months for scratch cards he took on behalf of his SIR Marketing Corporation from the LoneStar Communication Corporation.
Liberian President Appoints Man Facing $2.5 Million Corruption Charges to Liberia’s Oil Company
African Standard....
The transaction backfired when the LoneStar Management said it discovered that those checks could not be drawn at the Guaranty Trust (Liberia) Limited Bank, declaring them as bad checks. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is noted for appointing into public service, individuals with established criminal record.
Mr. Akinsanya will control millions of oil revenue allocated for social development programs as head of NOCAL’s Social responsibility fund.
Since the pronouncement of the discovery of oil in Liberia, the country has been experiencing intense rivalry between stakeholders over the awarding of oil contracts to foreign firms.
The 53rd National Legislature has declared all oil contracts previously negotiated during the first term of President Sirleaf will be renegotiated a stance that is angering the President and some member of the administration.
There are growing fears that the oil could breed confusion in conflict prone Liberia with majority of its young population still accustomed to violence.
President Sirleaf has made several questionable appointments at the National oil Company prompting public dissent.
Ahead of the 2011 general and presidential elections in Liberia, Akinsanya was sued by Liberia’s dominant mobile phone service providers of “wickedly, criminally and purposely” issuing several checks to the company.
The prosecutor informed the court that over the period of ten months since 2010 to present, defendant Akinsanya issued its checks from accounts alleged to be in the Guaranty Trust Bank Limited but only to establish that there was no such account at the bank.
However, the court charged the defendant for being in violation of Section 15.58 of the New Penal Law of Liberia. Akinsanya was represented in court by a legal team comprising Necular Edwards, Charles Abdullai, Pearl Brown Bull, Syrenous Cephus and A. B. Jallah.
Magistrate, Nelson Chineh accepted that Akinsanya's crime is bailable under the law and that his rights extend to having a legal counsel and his day in court but only needs to file a valid bond which should be twice the amount in question.
He was released on bail and trial is still pending.Liberian President Appoints Man Facing $2.5 Million Corruption Charges to Liberia’s Oil Company
Home 
