By Jacqueline Dennis
The Grand Jury for Montserrado County has indicted the former chair of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), Madam Edwina C. Zackpa, and Abdullah Kamara, CEO, for defrauding the Government of Liberia of the sum of US$3,586,496.97.
The defendant was charged with Economic sabotage, Fraud in the internal revenue of Liberia, Misuse of public money, Property, or Records, Theft, and Illegal disbursement and Expenditure of Public money.
According to the indictment, from January to December 2023, administration of the LTA by directive of Chairperson, Co-defendant Edwina C. Zackpa, defrauded the Government of Liberia by not remitting the amount of US$3.6M to the GOL Consolidated account as provided for in the MOU on revenue distribution among the parties.
The indictment further said, Co-defendant Zackpa, then Chairperson of the LTA, was reminded and asked by the Controller and her fellow Commissioners as to the unremitted revenue shares of the GOL, but Co-defendant Zackpa refused to authorize the transfer of GOL’s share of revenue or to give any account of what the funds were used for.
Additionally, the court records pointed out that the action of Co-defendant Zackpa, in the discharge of her duties as Chairperson of the LTA, knowing fully well that the amount of US$3,586,496.97 was intended to be transferred to the consolidated account of the GOL as provided for in the MOU on revenue distribution, but authorizing the withdrawal and expenditure of the said amount, which cannot be accounted for, violates the Penal Law of Liberia. The defendants await a court hearing.
The indictment maintained, that. That during the period January to December 2023, Chairperson, Madam Edwina C. Zackpa did not remit the total amount of US$3,586,496.97 to the GOL Consolidated account as provided for in the MOU on revenue distribution among the parties, and that same cannot be accounted for.
The court documents revealed That, contrary to the initial offered bid price on revenue sharing (TIA-35%, and LTA/GOL (69%), which served as the basis for selecting TIA as the most responsive bidder, and without any change to the terms and conditions specified in the bidding documents, the parties (TIA & LIA) agreed under “Revenue Sharing of the Contract to apply a revenue distribution scheme of the total revenues generated in the following categories as LTA 51% first 4 years and 55% remaining 4 years: and TIA 49% first 4 years and 45% remaining 4 years.
The document sated that, in May of 2023 a Proposal named and styled, ‘the National Transformation Initiative for Liberia’ was formulated, introduced and submitted by the Business Development Team of Tamma Corporation owned and operated by Co-defendant Abdullai Kamara, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tamma Corporation for delivering digital awareness, inclusion and empowerment for Liberian youths to stimulate economic growth.
However, on January 20, 2012, Tamma Corporation was registered under the Liberia Business Registry as an information technology and computer service activities, television programming, and creative, arts, and entertainment activities provider, while Mr. Abdullai L. Kamara served as its Incorporator and Shareholder.
On June 16, 2023, Mr. G. Wesseh Blamoh, then Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, wrote a communication (GWB/M-1/MOS/363/2023/RL) to the LTA Chairperson, Zackpah directing the LTA to secure funding to roll out the Liberia Digital Transformation Project, and recommended Tamma Corporation to the LTA Management to form part of the Committee for the implementation of the Project.
Wesseh further stated that, without regard to the Public Procurement and Concession Commission’s (PPCC) procedure and regulations, Tamma Corporation was hand-picked as recommended to the LTA by Wesseh to roll out Liberia’s Digital Transformation Project without any bidding process in total disregard to the Public Financial Management Laws of Liberia.
However, the investigation also established that there was no contract entered into between Tamma Corporation and the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) for the implementation of the Liberia Digital Transformation Project (LDTP); no scope of work to measure performance. That, in the absent of a written contract between the LTA and Tamma Corporation, or any scope of work, on May 18 and 19, 2023 Co-defendant Edwina Zackpa as Chairperson of the LTA unilaterally authorized the total payments of US$54,500.00 and L$22,500,000 from the operational account of the LTA to Tamma Corporation under the pretext of contributing to Corporate Social Responsibility activities.
The document said the amounts were paid to Co-defendant Abdullah Kamara, CEO of Tamma Corporation with no evidence of work done, and that the said amount cannot be accounted for. The action of Co-defendant Edwina C. Zackpa, in the discharge of her duties as Chairperson of the LTA, by knowingly authorizing the payments of US554,500 and L$22,500,000 to Co-defendant Abdullah Kamara, CEO of Tamma Corporation, under the pretext of contributing to Corporate Social Responsibility activities; and that said amounts were withdrawn and expended from the operational account of the LTA without authorization from the Board: and that same cannot be accounted for by both Defendants Zackpa and Mr. Kamara, they both violate the provisions of the Panel Law of Liberia.
