My Client Is Innocent’

By Perry B. Zordyu

Liberia-During the morning hours of Wednesday, supporters and members of the Youth League of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) converged at the headquarters of the LACC on Old Road pledging their commitment to Margibi County Senator Nathaniel McGill as he undergoes investigation over alleged payroll fraud at the Ministry of State.

Sen. McGill, who is former Minister of State under former President Weah, escorted by scores of battle-cry-chanting CDCians to the LACC to face investigators.

After the conference with officials of LACC, Senator McGill’s lawyer, Cllr. Cyrenius Cephus told reporters that the process was only intended to protect the presidency.

Cllr. Cephus said inviting the Margibi Senator cannot slow him down on his vocal call to look into the 2024 national budget fingerings, adding that they are not deterred.

Cephus, who along with Sen. McGill are under US sanctions for alleged corruption, said the appearance of the lawmaker clearly shows that he supports the corruption fight, adding his client is innocent.

“Our being here only recognized that there is a need to fight corruption. This cannot in any way silent the vocal Senator speaking at the level of the Liberian Senate.”

McGill who now serves as Chairman of the CDC Legislative Caucus is accused of payroll fraud and was invited for questioning by the LACC.

The LACC says millions of USD were dished out to unidentified individuals and unapproved “employees” through an unauthorized “supplementary payroll” outside of the CSA Framework where McGill served as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs from 2018 to 2022.

The LACC said the former Minister of State now Senator of Margibi County noted a set of damaging findings ranging from financial improprieties and misuse of public funds to ghost payments and significant corruption during McGill’s tenure as Minister.

For a good while, CDCians set up a blockade in front of LACC’s main gate as police officers stood watching right opposite them.