“Diabolical Lies” -River Gee Officials Debunk Corruption Allegation By: Yassah J Wright

The Superintendent of River Gee County, Mike Swengbe, has termed as “diabolical lies” accusations that he and the county’s Senators siphoned funds entrusted to them during the County Meet competition. Recently, RiverGee County Senators Jonathan BoyeCharles Sogbie, Francis Dopoh, and Superintendent Swengbe found themselves in financial controversy weeks after the 2024 County Meet. The trio were accused of allegedly siphoning funds entrusted to their care during the competition and press mount on them to account for funds received from stakeholders.

The men have also been accused of politicizing the victory celebration, which was planned to be held in the county last week. This forced some players and citizens from other districts in the county to boycott the program and insist that they account for the entrusted funds. But, responding to the allegations in an interview with journalists in Monrovia over the weekend, Superintendent Swengbe described the allegations as calculated plan from the belly of the devil intended to damage their hard-earned characters, unity campaign and disappointingly undermine the county successful county meet competition victory.  According to him, at no point in time did he and senators Sogbie and Dopoe ever squander funds entrusted to their care for the County Team, while urging accusers to desist from such unrealistic approach and action. ” I want to make this very clear. The accusations brought against us is false, misleading and a big diabolical lie from the belly of the devil, at no point in time we misapplied and misappropriate money donated or provided to the sport staring committee for our personal used” he debunked. The River Gee County Sports Staring Committee Chairperson said that those who are breastfeeding such nonsense allegations are those he claimed with political interest who are jealous and yet to understand the strategy, blueprint and philosophy they used to bring the county victory in a heated competition.  The River Gee County Sports Staring Committee Chairperson lamented that what the major issues is financial report and they will provide the public with the comprehensive financial report between Wednesday of this week as the activities leading to the celebration of the victory has finally climaxed.  ” We could not provide financial report to the public or the county without the conclusion of the project or activities the commemorate the victory. We have series of activities which includes celebration in Monrovia and the touring of the South East. We are done with that and so, we will provide the report. We believe in transparency and accountability therefore, there is nothing to hide,” Superintendent Swengbe stated.  He adds that funds were given to the team and cataloged in two dimension, particularly individual with political interest who donated to the team directly and those who donated to the County Sports Staring committee.  Superintendent Swengbe asserted that those funds that were given to the team directly through its coach will not be accounted for in the financial report rather those funds that were given to the County Sports Staring committee that he chairs.  Commenting on the conflict of interest theory introduced by the citizens by soliciting money from River Gee citizens in the diaspora, he said that it is true that citizens in the diaspora provided money to him but it was done on the basis that he is a member and has direct contact with them. He clarified that every cents that was provided to the staring committee by Liberian in the diaspora and internal citizens was properly spent on the team, something he believes brought about the immediate victory.  When questioned about the total funds received from citizens of the county, Superintendent Swengbe lamented that he doesn’t have the records, data and figures with him current therefore, he can’t make but will be provided with breakdown in the report. ” I don’t have the data now but I have some names offhand that give support to the Sports Staring committee and they are, Amos Tweh, he provided one thousand seven hundred United States, Cllr. Warner, one thousand, Dr. Chris D. Nah two hundred, Amb. Norah Finda Bundoo, nine thousand and senator Sogbie provided great help that just cannot be told off head” he disclosed.  Speaking on the politicization of the county meet, he debunked the allegation and said they provided open space and invitation to the celebration of activities regarding the victory. However, he noted that some individuals, due to political interest, decided not to attend and began presenting them as if they enclosed the celebration process when it was opened, describing them as disunity breakfast feeder.  The River Gee County Superintendent however, urged citizens to desist from undermining the progress and unity of the county, stating that disunity has the potential and propensity to hinders development. ” When I took over as Superintendent, I saw huge disunity and we have been working to address that within consonant with President Joseph NyumahBoakai agenda. But, there are some citizens of the county due to political reason don’t want to wake to to the truth and fight for the progress and unity of the county. We are open to working with all citizens and we hope they embrace this new Liberia” he concluded.