MONROVIA, Montserrado- Deputy Central Bank Governor for Operations, Charles Sirleaf has contradicted revelations by former CBL Executive Governor Milton Weeks that the bank did not get authorization from the legislature to print additional L$10.5 million new banknotes.

Weeks recently admitted before the plenary of the House of Representatives that the printing of the additional L$10.5 billion new banknotes was not authorized by the legislature.

He said he along with the CBL had misunderstood that a communication signed by the Clerk of the House granting authorization to completely replace mutilated banknotes on the market was an authority to go ahead and print the additional L$10.5 billion.

However, Sirleaf who is the son of former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf also told the plenary of the House on Monday that the CBL through its board of directors communicated with both the former president and Pro Tempore on May 24, 2017 under the signature of Murni Caaplay.

He said following the communications, Jallah and Sirleaf provided the go-ahead for the bank to print the additional L$10.5 million new banknotes, except that the CBL was cautioned to provide details of the denominations to be printed pointed.

“This is where the issue of printing comes into play,” he said. Also, adding that: “Absolutely, the bank did not bribe lawmakers to print the banknotes.”

He further maintained that there was no money missing as reported. Upon arrival into the country, the Deputy CBL Governor disclosed that the consignment of additional new banknotes was escorted to the bank vaults at Waterside and on Ashmun Street.

Current Executive Governor, Nathanial Patray has also earlier disclosed that the money was currently deposited in the bank’s reserve vault.

Joseph G. Dennis, the then deputy head of Central of Liberia audit department Photo Zeze Ballah

Reading a bank memorandum to Weeks, dated July 22, 2016, Joseph G. Dennis, the deputy head of the bank audit department at the CBL also confirmed that his department on July 17 and 18 2016 witnessed and verified the delivery in the CBL vault a consignment of 100 boxes of Liberian dollars containing L$100 denomination, from Crain currency via Kenta Airways.

According to Dennis, the first 58 boxes of the banknotes were received on July 17, 2016, and the balance of 42 boxes received on July 18, 2016. He noted that: “The value of the currency was L$500 million”.

He added that during the importation of the new banknotes, the role of his department was to verify that containers are sealed.

“When it is brought to the CBL, the department also witnessed the breaking of the seal and verify the contents,” he added, while also noting that a total of L$15.5 billion was received into the CBL.

Meanwhile, Rep. Yekeh Kolubah of Montserrado’s eighth district has pleaded with the speaker of the 54th National Legislature, Bhofal Chambers to request the bank for an internal investigation report the former president mentioned that the central bank is holding on to.

Representative Yekeh Kolubah of Montserrado’s eighth district wants President George Weah submit copy of the turned over note to lawmakers

Kolubah also requested that the speaker requests the turnover note of the former president to Weah. He believes that the document will give the lawmakers a clearer understanding on circumstances surrounding the alleged missing Liberian banknotes.

“The turned over note will guide us in the process,” Kolubah stressed

Featured Photo by Zeze Ballah