There is an alleged scramble for foreign travels among members of the upper house of the National Legislature, the House of Senate, and inside sources have hinted that the situation is igniting a crisis, The Analyst has learnt.
Our legislative sources have disclosed that on the aggregate, the 2007/2008 Fiscal Budget of US$180,000 provided for each senator, the amount of US$6000 of tax payers’ money is allocated for foreign travels.
The money is supposed to provide for per diem allowance for senators who would travel to attend government related programs in foreign countries.
But according to our sources, some senators have depleted their allocation, while others are yet to make any foreign trip.
Some senators have begun questioning the senate foreign travels budget making specific references to the manner and form in which the process has been handled by the Senate Committee on Ways Means and Finance.
The issue came on the floor last week at Plenary when two communications were read relative to foreign invitations from two separate international institution requesting that the two senior senators of Montserrado County, Joyce Musu Sumo and Hannah Brent to travel at the expense of the Liberian senate.
Following the reading of the communications some of the senators led by River Gee County Senator Isaac Johnson and Grand Kru Senior Cletus Wortorson told the Senate Plenary that some of their colleagues were in the constant habit of writing their friends in the Diaspora or other international organizations to send them invitations so as to enable them travel when such travels bring no meaningful benefits to the nation and its people.
The Senators indicated that some of their colleagues have exhausted the foreign travel allotted to them in the 2007/2008 fiscal budget, but that they were craving to use the allotments of other senators who have not travel.
“This is unacceptable,” Senator Wotorson said. Sen. Johnson and others are arguing that it is unfair to the people and country that some of their colleagues want to use US$6000 allotted for foreign travels just for mere bluff or visit their friends and relatives in the Europe and the United States of America.
The contending lawmakers reminded their colleagues that the US$6000 travel allotment in the budget is intended for senators to attend meetings at international parliamentarian forums and present the country’s case for assistance in the country’s reconstruction drives.
One female senator confided in our reporter covering the Senate that the scramble for foreign travels is intended to get the benefits associated with such trips including per diems, allowances and other lucrative benefits for themselves.
Hans Williams’ Lawyer Wants DNA Test
Calls For Preservation of Angel’s Body
By George J. Borteh
The head of the Defense Counsels representing the legal interest of suspects Hans Williams and Madeah Paykue, charged by the government of Liberia for murder, Cllr. Musa Dean says the two reports from autopsy conducted are contradictory.
He said he learned from newspaper that reports released by the Ministry of Justice’s autopsy report reflecting the conclusion that the late Togba was sexually violated and strangled before the alleged hanging.
Cllr. Dean who has written the Justice Ministry on what he considered contradiction on the part of the Justice Ministry noted that the two conclusions by the government contradict the earlier postmortem report released by the Ministry under the signature of Dr. Anthony S. Quayee, medical examined and the Liberia National Police (LNP).
“We 've learned, through newspaper that the Ministry of Justice has released a second autopsy report reflecting the conclusion that the late Meideh Angel Togba was sexually abused and strangled before the hanging,” Cllr. Dean’s letter to the Justice Minister mentioned.
“We note that this conclusion contradicts the earlier postmortem report released by the Ministry of Justice, under the signature of Dr. Anthony S. Quayee, Medical examiner, Liberia National Police,” the second paragraph of Cllr. Dean’s letter to the Justice Ministry said.
The Liberian lawyer noted that there is no doubt the second report constitutes what he called the basis for the current charges of murder and criminal facilitation levied against Williams, Paykue, Patrick Kollie, Oscar Paykue and Henrietta Paykue. They are being charged with criminal facilitation and are detained at the Monrovia Central Prison pending court trial.
Cllr. Dean said in his letter to the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice that the conclusion of sexual violation contained in the second report is of serious concern, adding “if the late Angel Togba was sexually violated who committed said violation.”
“Since the second report seeks to establish sexual violence as the cascade of events leading to the death of the late Togba, we insist that only DNA evidence will confirm who committed the sexual violation, as none of our clients committed the act,” he said.
He observed that there has been no DNA component of the first and second reports of autopsy conducted by the State. “We've up to the moment, not heard of any DNA component of the first and second reports,” he observed.
He also stressed that whether the government has conducted a DNA analysis or not, he wants the remains of the victim body (Angel), be preserved to afford the defense the opportunity to under take further examination.
The victim (Angel), on November 30th 2007 was found hanging at 7:30p.m. in the bathroom of her guardians, Hans Williams and Madeah Paykue, on the Old Road, in Sinkor.
Just before hercorps was submitted for postmortem examination, the Liberian National Police issued a statement that she committed suicide, corroborating her guardian’s claims. |
