Chie Chops Senators’ Cash?

MONROVIA-The President Pro-Tempore of the Liberian Senate, Albert T. Chea is said to be struggling to pay back cash and vehicles he allegedly took for his friends during the impeachment of former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh and other lobby fees.

The amount in question was said to have been received by him to lobby for the removal of former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh from office. Besides that, US$15.000.00 cash with Toyota Hilux double cabin pickup for the passage of some   concessions.

But he allegedly used many of his friends’ cash and vehicles with the intention of repaying same at a later date.

Some of the senators who confided in this paper recently said, they have asked him, but has been unable to give the cash

“The Pro-Tempore has refused to give some of us money. Even the pickups which were distributed among us, he has not given some of us. Each time we asked him, he said, I will get to you soon,” one Senator said on condition of anonymity.

“He gave one of the pickups to Senator Henry Yallah of Bong County and gave few senators. But for some of us, he is not even giving it to us.  What is more frustrating is that he has not given us US$15,000.00 (Fifteen thousand USD) each of us. That is part of the amount given to each lawmaker.”

This is becoming a serious issue at the senate, this paper was told. “We are honorable people and this is not good at all. What is due your friend should be given to them. But we are holding meetings to see the next course of action.”

When contacted the Pro-Tempore, he denied the allegations “No Senator will tell you that fairytale,” he replied in a WhatsApp message. When asked further if this was his official response, he did not answer.

It can be recalled that when the senators resumed normal work this month, he told his colleagues that there was liquidity issues in the country with both Liberian and US dollars. Moreover, there was need to restore confidence in the banking sector.

He dispelled rumors that a there were plans to elect a new Pro-Tempore. Rather, there would be an election of a new Pro-Tempore in 2024. There are speculations at the Senate that he would be removed in a vote of no confidence due to what they called ‘unprofessional attitude’ towards his friends.

In a separate development, staffers of the Liberian Senate Wednesday January 20, 2021 prevented the Pro-Tempore from leaving the yard for 16 months Liberian dollars salary component owed by the senate.  Some of the staffers who spoke to reporters said the Pro-Tempore is ‘insensitive to their plight.’  “As head of this place, he does not care in anyway. He and others are only concerned about themselves. We only want our salaries,” Charles Brown, spokesman for the group said.     Second part on him comes out next week.

 

 

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