The Panoramic Justice Group, based in Washington DC, is warning the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) to cut ties with Cllr. Harry Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman, who has been sanctioned by the US. They argue that keeping him on board would be a blatant disregard for Washington’s stance and could lead to serious repercussions for both the LTA and Liberia as a whole.
Reports indicate that the LTA has hired Cllr. Sherman, a lawyer sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act for corruption, as their external legal advisor. An outside lawyer is essentially an independent attorney or firm hired to provide legal expertise for specific projects or ongoing issues, rather than being a full-time staff member. Back in December 2020, Cllr. Sherman was sanctioned by the US Treasury due to his corrupt practices. The Treasury accused him of bribing several judges involved in his trial related to a bribery scheme from 2010. He also had a hidden conflict of interest with the judge who ultimately ruled him not guilty in July 2019. Sherman has a troubling history of paying off judges to influence their decisions and has allegedly funneled money to Liberian politicians to advocate for the impeachment of a judge who ruled against him.
In the 2010 bribery scheme that led to his trial, Sherman was hired by a British mining company looking to secure one of Liberia’s last major mining assets, the Wologizi iron ore concession. He advised the company that to win the contract, they needed to alter Liberia’s procurement and concessions laws by bribing senior officials. In 2016, Sherman, along with several other government officials, was indicted by the Liberian government for their involvement in a USD 950,000 bribery scheme. However, in 2019, the judge presiding over the case acquitted all those accused of involvement. Sherman’s bribery activities reveal a troubling pattern of trying to manipulate the Liberian judiciary and the Ministry of Justice. The US Treasury has pointed out that Cllr. Sherman is either responsible for, involved in, or has directly or indirectly participated in various forms of corruption. This includes the misappropriation of state assets, taking private assets for personal benefit, corrupt practices tied to government contracts or natural resource extraction, and bribery.
The US has cautioned that anyone engaging in specific transactions with the individuals and entities that have been designated may find themselves facing sanctions or enforcement actions. Additionally, unless there’s an exception, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction for any of the designated individuals or entities could also be at risk of U.S. sanctions.
Cllr. Sherman represented the majority bloc in a case concerning the ousting of former House Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa. Reports indicate that Patrick Honnah and Clarence Massaquoi Commissioners from the Liberia Telecommunications Authority were heavily involved in providing financial support as bribes to representatives to sway them towards a resolution against Speaker Koffa.
Garkpe Gedepoh, a retired U.S. Marine and the Executive Director of the Panoramic Justice Group, has announced that his organization is ramping up the involvement of local investigators in Liberia. Their mission? To document human rights abuses and corruption throughout the country, with a particular focus on law enforcement agencies, the Central Bank of Liberia, and all government officials. The Unity Party-led government has been reported to have a troubling record of human rights violations, as highlighted in the U.S. State Department’s 2024 Human Rights report. According to the report, Liberia is grappling with issues like arbitrary or unlawful killings, torture, cruel and degrading treatment, arbitrary arrests, and significant restrictions on freedom of expression and media. This includes threats and violence against journalists, as well as instances of censorship. Other serious concerns raised include human trafficking and systematic limitations on workers’ rights to freely associate.
In the midst of this, Samuel Kofi Woods, Legal Advisor to President Joseph Boakai, along with Minister of Justice Oswald Tweh and Inspector General Gregory Coleman, are facing serious allegations of torturing Andrew Lawson, Albert Weah, and John Nyanti. These individuals are currently on trial for their alleged involvement in the arson attack on the Capitol Building. The Panoramic Justice Group has made the call for U.S. sanctions, visa restrictions, and the revocation of legal status for these officials.
Political analysts suggest that the Liberia Telecommunications Authority hiring Cllr. Sherman for legal services is a reward for the pro bono work he did for the majority bloc, despite the strong warnings from the US about doing business with a sanctioned figure like Cllr. Sherman.
