Published: May 22, 2025
Capitol Hill, Monrovia — Bong County District #3 Representative J. Marvin Cole on Thursday forcefully denied allegations that the House of Representatives illegally placed 243 individuals on the government’s supplementary payroll, accusing Civil Service Agency Director-General Josiah Joekai of launching a politically charged smear campaign.
Speaking at a heated press conference at the Capitol Building, Cole, the former chair of the House Committee on Rules, Order, and Administration, described Joekai’s claims as “misleading, baseless, malicious and criminal.” He warned that the CSA boss’s actions could have legal consequences, adding, “Boakai will not be president for life, and justice will be served.”
Joekai had alleged during a Ministry of Information press briefing earlier this week that the CSA uncovered hundreds of unauthorized names on the House’s payroll during the tenure of former Speaker J. Fonati Koffa. The CSA chief said a $327,000 payroll request tied to the list was rejected and that the supplementary payroll has since been canceled as part of a wider government cleanup effort.
But Cole pushed back hard, accusing Joekai of overstepping his authority and undermining the constitutional independence of the Legislature.
“Article 89 of our Constitution is very clear,” Cole said. “Josiah Joekai does not have the authority to determine what kind of payroll the House uses. He’s only seeking cheap popularity and trying to showcase himself at our expense.”
Cole insisted that the payroll in question had already been reduced from $284,000 to about $200,000 after a self-initiated House review discovered “ghost names,” including deceased individuals. He said evidence, including photos of the dead, was submitted to the CSA, but Joekai refused to act—allegedly accusing the House of targeting partisans of the ruling Unity Party.
“This shows he had political motives,” Cole said.
The Bong County lawmaker also charged that Joekai continued to process House payrolls under Rep. Richard Koon—now Speaker—even after the Supreme Court’s Dec. 6, 2024, ruling declared Koon’s speakership unconstitutional and reinstated Fonati Koffa.
“If anyone defrauded the Liberian government, it was Josiah Joekai,” Cole claimed. “He continued to approve an illegal payroll even after the Court ruled it unconstitutional.”
He further alleged that Joekai violated public procurement laws by unilaterally hiring a firm for payroll verification without consulting the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC), urging the CSA chief to release all related documents for public scrutiny.
In another swipe, Cole defended government workers allegedly protesting while on the state payroll, saying there’s no Liberian law barring civil servants from political activism. “Even Unity Party members protested under CDC and nobody stopped them,” he said.
Cole demanded Joekai publish the names of those listed on the disputed payroll and warned that his Wednesday press conference would serve as formal notice for future legal action.
Political Undercurrents
The payroll dispute underscores the deepening political rivalry between the ruling Unity Party and the remnants of the former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC)-controlled Legislature. While Joekai insists his efforts are rooted in transparency and reform, critics like Cole say the cleanup has turned into a witch-hunt aimed at embarrassing past legislative leaders.
At the heart of the conflict lies a broader power struggle between the Executive and Legislative branches—fueled by lingering resentment over the controversial removal of Speaker Koffa and the current administration’s efforts to reassert control over public institutions.
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