—- OVER US$1.1 MILLION IN CONTRACTED FUNDING ALLEGEDLY UNACCOUNTED FOR IN THE EXECUTED LNP VEHICLE DEAL.
IPNEWS: CDC U.S. based Wantoe WANTOE Teah, has alleged to uncover a serious contradiction in the official account given to the Liberian people by the Ministry of Justice, of the disappearance of more than US$1.1 million between the reduced contractual value and the amount the supplier says was actually prepaid.
On August 23, the Ministry of Justice wrote publicly that the Prado assigned to Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh came from:
“a fleet of vehicles procured by the Government of Liberia from Dutch Health BV for the LNP.”
The Ministry went further. It said the “procured fleet” was valued at US$1.5 million, consisted of pickups, jeeps, motorbikes and ambulances, and that the jeeps included 10 Toyota Land Cruiser Prados.
Those were specific representations made by the Ministry to the Liberian people. However, Wantoe Teah alleged that a communicated directly with Dutch Health B.V., the very company named by the Ministry, and its Managing Director, Pieter Wiemers, has provided a materially different account of what was actually executed.
According to the written communication we received directly from Dutch Health, the company said the Initial LNP contract: US$6,134,800, was reduced to US$1,554,525 — with ‘no finance’, while Final prepayment: US$439,100 was made for the Vehicles actually delivered, and 8 Vehicles remaining while 22 undelivered.
The Dutch Health further states that there was “no further follow up by LNP” because of a “lack of payment security” for the remaining 22 vehicles which directly challenges the impression created by the Ministry’s description of a “procured fleet of vehicles valued at 1.5 million.”
The supplier is telling us that the US$1,554,525 reduced contract was not fully executed. According to Dutch Health, the executed transaction amounted to US$439,100 and eight vehicles.
WHERE IS THE REMAINING US$1,115,425 IN THE CONTRACT?
The mathematics is straightforward:
US$1,554,525 — reduced contract, minus US$439,100 — final prepayment reported by supplier
= US$1,115,425, That is US$1,115,425 of the reduced contractual value that is not accounted for as an executed payment in the supplier’s account.
This creates a major corruption and forensic-accounting question, If only US$439,100 was disbursed, Government should produce the records and explain why the Ministry publicly described a US$1.5 million “procured fleet.”
Additionally, If US$1,554,525 was actually disbursed by Government, while Dutch Health’s executed transaction accounts for only US$439,100, then the Government must explain:
WHERE IS THE US$1,115,425?
THEN THERE IS THE TEN-PRADO CONTRADICTION.
The Ministry told Liberians that the fleet included 10 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER PRADOS, while the Dutch Health says its ONLY 8 VEHICLES WERE DELIVERED IN TOTAL.
Dutch Health specifically confirms that the Prado being investigated was one of those eight vehicles.
That supports one part of the Ministry’s account: the particular Prado appears to have originated from the Dutch Health transaction, however, it creates an unavoidable numerical contradiction if the Ministry intended to say that ten Prados were actually delivered under that same executed transaction: How can ten Prados be among eight vehicles?
If ten Prados were actually purchased and delivered, Government should release the ten VINs, ten invoices, shipping records, customs entries and GSA registrations.
Also, If the ten Prados were merely contemplated or contracted but not all delivered, then the Ministry’s public statement should have made that distinction.
AND NOW FOLLOW THE MONEY
Dutch Health has revealed another important element. According to its Managing Director, the US$439,100 prepayment was made via DH Liberia based on cheques.
But in the very same communication, Dutch Health states that: “DH Liberia is no DIRECT ENTITY OF Dutch Health BV.”
The company further identifies Francis Nagbe as its independent agent and says: “the proceeds [were] managed by our independent agent, Francis Nagbe.”
Dutch Health also confirms that it had contact with IG Gregory Coleman concerning the transaction. That creates another set of serious questions: Who were the Government cheques written to? Who received the US$439,100? What was DH Liberia’s contractual role if it was not a direct entity of Dutch Health B.V.? Into which account were the Government cheques deposited? What exactly did Francis Nagbe do when he “managed” the proceeds? Was an agency fee or commission paid? How much of the US$439,100 ultimately reached Dutch Health B.V.? AND DO NOT FORGET THE ORIGINAL US$6.1348 MILLION
The supplier says the transaction did not begin at US$1.5 million. It began at: US$6,134,800, It was then reduced to: US$1,554,525, and that is a reduction of: US$4,580,275.
Again, US$4.58 million should not be described as missing money without evidence that it was actually appropriated or disbursed. Furthermore, the But Government must produce the documentation explaining how a US$6.1348 million arrangement became US$1.554525 million, who authorized the reduction, what vehicles were removed, and what happened to the proposed financing.
THIS IS NOW A CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION
US$6,134,800 initial contract, US$1,554,525 reduced contract, and US$439,100 final prepayment, US$1,115,425 difference requiring reconciliation.
8 vehicles actually delivered, according to the supplier, 22 vehicles never delivered, 10 Prados publicly referenced by the Ministry, Government cheques routed via DH Liberia, Dutch Health saying DH Liberia is not its direct entity.
An independent agent, Francis Nagbe, identified as managing the proceeds, while Direct contact between Dutch Health and IGP Gregory Coleman concerning the transaction and he ignored him. IGP Coleman is yet to paid the remaining funding.
These are not minor discrepancies but manor .
The Ministry itself told Liberians that claims should be subjected to proper verification.
We did exactly that. We went directly to the supplier named in the Ministry’s own statement.
Now the Government must answer with documents—not another press release.
Liberians deserves the truth!!!
