• Supreme Court Orders Resumption of Sable Mining Corruption Case, Source: FrontPage Africa
• Pakistani Peacekeepers Awarded UN Medals for Stabilizing Liberia, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• Weah’s USD50,000 ‘Image Building Article’ for Foreign Media Leaks, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• Don’t Sacrifice the Truth – Traditional Council Warned, Source: New DEMOCRAT
• Even If George Weah Wins and He Wants Me to Serve as Defense Minister: I will Not Accept It … Says Brownie Samukai, Source: INSIGHT
• Gbarnga feuds over naming of street in Senator Taylor’s honor, Source: Daily OBSERVER
• “I never held meeting with Alan White” Samukai re-emphasizes, Source: The INQUIRER
• UL students still appealing to extend registration, Source: The INQUIRER
• 2 adjudged guilty of armed robbery in less than 1hr, Source: The INQUIRER

Supreme Court Orders Resumption of Sable Mining Corruption Case, Source: FrontPage Africa

FrontPage Africa reports that the Sable Mining bribery case involving former and current government officials is expected to resume this November 2017 Term of Court at Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice. The case was adjourned early 2016 based on a Writ of Certiorari filed by the defense counsels against the former presiding judge Yarmie Gbeisay’s decision to subpoena several commercial banks to provide the bank statements of eight defendants mainly the principal defendant, Grand Cape Mount County Senator Varney Sherman.

Pakistani Peacekeepers Awarded UN Medals for Stabilizing Liberia, Source: New DEMOCRAT

This paper reports that 69 officers of the Pakistani Medical Contingent (PAKMED) serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) were on Thursday last week decorated with UN peacekeeping medals in Monrovia in acknowledgment of their contribution to peace and stability in the West African country.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Liberia, Farid Zarif, pinned the medals on the recipients at a joint ceremony held at Camp Abuja in Monrovia, where UN medals were also presented to 10 staff officers, eight military observers, and 230 members of the Nigerian Contingent.

SRSG Zarif said “these peacekeepers have contributed towards strengthening and consolidating peace and stability in Liberia. They have brought pride and honor, not just to their contingents, but also to their nations. You have also given meaning to the UN services throughout the world by helping nations in distress in order to fight back some of the challenges that have gone beyond their capacity.” He urged them to take pride in their contribution to serving the common cause of the UN by continuing to help humanity and nations in distress.

Weah’s USD50,000 ‘Image Building Article’ for Foreign Media Leaks, Source: New DEMOCRAT

According the New Democrat, a purported pubic relation article intended to be published in The Washington Post and other western publications, reportedly authored by the standard bearer of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Senator George Weah’s ghostwriters, some Liberian government officials and others in certain foreign circle, with the intent to make Mr. Weah’s case as the legitimate winner of the disputed 10 October 2017 elections using questionable US Embassy statement as a basis to the disadvantage of Weah’s opponents have been leaked.

Approximately USD50,000 could be paid for the article’s publication, but the CDC could not comment immediately when contacted. The purported article portrays Weah’s as the fore-runner of the October 10 polls and was set to go against incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) but one of the opposition parties, the Liberty Party (LP) objected to the holding of the runoff while its complaints had not been adjudicated by the National Elections Commission (NEC). The article goes on to say, having returned to the NEC, the LP was  joined by the ruling party, the All Liberia Party (ALP), and the Alternative National Congress (ANC) to complain about irregularities and fraud, thus Weah in the article termed that as a conspiracy to derail the electoral process.

The purported article further said these demands by the aggrieved political parties calling for a new contest represent nothing less than a refusal to accept the democratic will of the Liberian people, reflecting a willful blindness on the part of the petitioners to accept their own failure in a vote which international observers, including from the AU, ECOWAS, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and The Carter Center (TCC), have all found no substantive issues with the conduct of the elections. Perhaps the clearest vote of confidence in the integrity of the October polls was the statement of the US Embassy in Monrovia, which on 15 November strongly reinforced the collective view and stated unequivocally that “No accredited Liberia, regional, or international observation group suggested that the cumulative anomalies observed reflect systemic issues sufficient to undermine the fundamental integrity of the electoral process.”

Don’t Sacrifice the Truth – Traditional Council Warned, Source: New DEMOCRAT

The New Democrat reports that that the intention of the National Traditional Council of Liberia (NTCL) to play a mediatory role to end ongoing election dispute and impasse continue to face opposition with the latest coming from a Muslim cleric, Iman Ali Krayee. The proposal was initially protested by the Inter-faith secretary-general Musa Bamba when the NTCL met to set up a team to hold talks with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the National Elections Commission (NEC), the Supreme Court, and heads of political parties contesting the outcome of the 10 October 2017 elections.

“The problems we have in this country are caused by sacrificing the truth when people decided that the truth should be sacrificed so that we can move forward, we don’t really move forward. We actually dig our own graves,” Imam Krayee said. “There can be no peace no matter how much we pray; (peace can’t exist) without truth and justice and we have to be clear. We are praying for ourselves because this is the only country we have. The foundation for peace in this country must be based on transparent and credible elections. So we have prayed for the NEC and all of us in general,” the Muslim cleric said.

Even If George Weah Wins and He Wants Me to Serve as Defense Minister: I will Not Accept It … Says Brownie Samukai, Source: INSIGHT

Appearing on State radio, ELBC, Monday, defense minister Brownie Samukai said he does not want to serve anymore in the capacity of Minister of National Defense, even if he were to be appointed by the next President of Liberia to the post, be it incumbent Vice President Joseph Boakai of the ruling Unity Party (UP) or Senator George Weah of the main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). Minister Samukai who is the longest-serving minister in President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s administration in the last 12 years said it is too much for him as a Liberian serving the position, noting that “Others should be given the chance.” He, however, said he could still serve the new government in another capacity.

Meanwhile, Mr. Samukai has described recent allegation that he met with US war crimes and human rights investigator, Alan White, during his (White’s) recent visit to Liberia as a lie that was only intended to create a bitter relationship between him and his boss, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Gbarnga feuds over naming of street in Senator Taylor’s honor, Source: Daily OBSERVER

A move by ex-Gbarnga City mayor, Melvin Cole to name a street in the city in honor of the county’s Senator, Mrs. Jewel Howard Taylor has triggered confusion among the residents of the city and eminent citizens including council members who have kicked against such honor.  Mr. Cole, a representative-elect is accused of being behind the plan.  Speaking in an interview, a council member, Ansu Sesay said: “I was a member of the council when Cole was serving as mayor but I cannot remember such thing like that.”

“I never held meeting with Alan White” Samukai re-emphasizes, Source: The INQUIRER

Defense Minister Brownie Samukai responding to reports that he held a secret meeting with former US official, Alan White says it is hearsay, lies, and rumors meant to malign his character and his close ties with President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Minister Samukai made the comment on a local radio station on Monday in Monrovia. He accused people he stated that are close to the president of misusing the opportunity they have to tarnish his reputation.

UL students still appealing to extend registration, Source: The INQUIRER

The Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia (UL) has sent out an appeal to the UL administration to reopen the registration process which deadline has since expired. A SUP official, Mohammed Deygbo said though the students have launched a protest to extend the registration, they were just appealing to the administration to reconsider its decision and allow the students still behind to register.

 2 adjudged guilty of armed robbery in less than 1hr, Source: The INQUIRER

Two armed robbers who appeared at Criminal Court ‘D’ Monday and charged with criminal conspiracy have pleaded guilty to the crime at their trial that lasted for an hour. Judge Sakajipo Wollor later sentenced Mamadee Kamara and Emmanuel Johnson to one-year and two and the half year in jail.  The indictment said Mamadee and Emmanuel used a cutlass and other deadly instruments to inflict bodily harm on their victim, George Borbor in 2016 in the Gaye Town Old Road community and took away valuables summed up in the amount of USD2,485.00.