MONROVIA – The Liberian Investigator has gathered from sources at the National Elections Commission (NEC) that Madam Marlene Wogbeh, Director of Budget, was yesterday caught by security personnel at the main entry gate of the Commission’s compound as she allegedly attempted to smuggle out important financial documents.
According to sources whose information corroborated each other, Madam Wogbeh, who is the chief accountant for the Commission, was allegedly carrying dozens of documents but was intercepted and prevented from executing her plan.
“A whole box of financial documents was seized from the chief accountant. She is the Director of Budget here and a very close friend of the suspended chairman. We don’t know where she was taking them, but one of the security guards saw her. The security team at the gate seized the documents, and they were taken to the office of the Co-chairman,” one source disclosed.
Another source alleged that Wogbeh had earlier transferred some of the documents in her handbag and left them with a money exchanger across the road, opposite the NEC headquarters fence.
“Three other persons from the same finance office were in the pickup with her. She was carrying financial papers in the pickup. We asked her where she was taking them and for what purpose, but she provided no satisfactory answer,” one of the security personnel told The Liberian Investigator.
When contacted via phone, Madam Wogbeh denied the allegations, claiming there was no evidence she attempted to take any documents from the office. “It is a lie. If you wish, you can come tomorrow (today, January 17) and get to know the truth,” she said.
Efforts to get a response from Cllr. P. Teplah Reeves, Co-chairperson of NEC, proved futile as she did not respond to texts or calls.
Background on the Suspension of Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah
On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, a release from the Executive Mansion announcing the indefinite suspension of Madam Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, NEC Chairperson, leaked and circulated in the media even before being posted on the Executive Mansion’s Facebook page.
The President’s decision, according to the statement, was based on Madam Browne-Lansanah’s alleged violation of Sections 2.1 and 2.10(d) of the 1986 New Elections Law. The law stipulates that the running of the Commission is the responsibility of a Board of Commissioners, not a single commissioner. “The law mandates that decisions involving corrective measures against employees must be taken in consultation with the Board, not by the chairperson or any individual commissioner acting alone,” the statement noted.
The release continued: “While the committee constituted to investigate the grievances of NEC workers was actively addressing the matter, Madam Browne-Lansanah took precipitous and unilateral actions, thereby undermining the integrity and stability of the institution.”
The Executive Mansion added that President Joseph Nyumah Boakai fears the suspended chairperson’s actions created a toxic working environment at the Commission.
Reactions to the Suspension
Employees dismissed by Madam Browne-Lansanah welcomed President Boakai’s decision.
“We will be celebrating today at the Commission’s headquarters and thanking the President. Although the decision was overdue, we are happy he finally acted in the country’s best interest,” Rennie Gleegbar, spokesperson for the aggrieved workforce at NEC, told The Liberian Investigator.
Gleegbar expressed hope that Madam Browne-Lansanah would be audited. “If she comes out clean, without being indicted for any wrongdoing, that will be good. But we believe it is necessary to fully audit the Commission,” he said.
He added that those dismissed under Browne-Lansanah’s instruction, via the Executive Director, Anthony Sengbeh, were unjustly removed. “There was no due process, and there is no proof to justify our dismissals,” he argued.
“We were protesting for what we deserve. The Commission owes us four months of general allowances, and we also pushed for insurance benefits for all employees. These are basic rights we have been denied for years. People have died without their families receiving any compensation, and others have sustained major injuries at work without support. These were our agitations, but Madam Browne-Lansanah ignored us,” Gleegbar explained.
Gleegbar emphasized the need for transparency within NEC, stating that it should not only apply to ensuring fairness in elections but also to internal operations.
When asked how the aggrieved staff would respond if President Boakai forgives and reinstates Madam Browne-Lansanah, Gleegbar said they had nothing personal against her but criticized her leadership.
“She is a dictator. She has not allowed her fellow commissioners to contribute to major decisions. She took unilateral actions, compromising teamwork. She has abused the New Elections Law, and we believe it is time for her to leave,” he said.
He warned, “If she is forced on us, the President should prepare to dismiss all of us from NEC. We are tired of this one-woman show. We want the entire Board of Commissioners to work together, rather than one person making even the smallest decisions that should be handled by directors and junior officers.”
Appeals to Reverse the Suspension
The Liberian Investigator has learned from sources close to the Presidency that senior officials, including Dr. Augustine Konneh, Foreign Minister Sarah Beslow Nyanti, and Finance Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, are appealing to President Boakai to reconsider his decision and rescind the suspension of Madam Browne-Lansanah. These claims have not been independently verified, but the paper continues to investigate.
Calls for Accountability
For Lorenzo Harmon, another dismissed employee, the President’s decision should go beyond suspension. “She’s been accused of wrongdoing, including misappropriating nearly $200,000 in 2022. She awarded a contract to her biological brother without following proper bidding processes. It is time for her to face the law and clear her name,” Harmon said.
Harmon further accused Browne-Lansanah of creating a challenging working environment that undermined productivity and efficiency at NEC.
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