Published: September 16, 2024
Monrovia – In a bizarre series of mobile money transactions spanning several months, Trocon Langford, religious advisor to President Joseph Boakai, has reported receiving over US$1,100 and more than LRD 56,000 in what he believes were accidental payments from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP).
The first transaction, totaling US$118 and LRD 5,508, appeared in Langford’s mobile money account on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Perplexed by the unexpected transfer, Langford initially assumed it was a mistake and awaited contact from the ministry to request the return of the funds. However, no such communication came.
Over the following months, additional payments of identical amounts continued to arrive. Langford recalls receiving further deposits in December, January, February, and March of 2024. His concern grew with each transfer, yet he hesitated to report the situation, fearing potential fraud or mishandling of the funds by unknown actors.
By April 2024, Langford sought assistance from high-ranking government officials. He reached out to the Minister of State without Portfolio, Hon. Samuel A. Steve-Qoah, who facilitated contact with Hon. Elwood Nettey, the Controller General of Liberia. Although Nettey promised an investigation, the payments continued to arrive, and by May, June, and July, Langford had received US$1,175 and LRD 56,235 in total.
During the investigation, Nettey uncovered that Langford’s phone number had been mistakenly linked to the late Jasper Cummeh, a former employee of the Liberia Immigration Service who passed away in 2014. Despite this discovery, the transfers did not cease. In July, Langford received two additional payments.
As a final resolution, Langford was contacted by the Civil Service Agency during a payroll cleaning exercise. He reiterated that he had never worked for the Liberian government and informed the agency that he had held all the funds in his account.
Under the direction of Hon. Elwood Nettey, Langford remitted the full amount to the government’s salary and payroll account on Thursday, September 12, 2024. A total of US$1,175 and LRD 56,235 was returned, minus the US$12 fee charged by Lonestar MTN for the mobile money transfers.
Langford expressed relief that the situation has now been resolved, though he remains baffled by the systemic error that allowed the erroneous payments to persist for so long.
Controller General Elwood Nettey commended the religious advisor for the “unique sincerity” he exhibited in returning the funds.
However, Langford’s case raises important questions about payroll management and accountability within the Liberian government, especially as the nation’s civil service undergoes critical reforms to prevent future errors.
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