US AFRICOM Chief Stresses Continued Partnership

8 Dec 2011

US AFRICOM Chief Stresses Continued Partnership

[In Profile Daily, Insight, The Inquirer, The News] | The Commander of the US Africa Command (US AFRICOM) has assured the Liberian government that the country's future is positive because of the quality of professional trainings that have been given to soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL).

 

  • General Carter Ham told Defense Minister Brownie Samukai that while serving in his new post, he will look for ways to strengthen the partnership between the US and Liberia.
  • “I am more interested in making sure that the military-to-military partnership perpetuates, a commitment that is more important,” General Ham added.
  • The US AFRICOM boss is in the country to hold discussions on wide range of bilateral issues including partnership, cooperation and support.
  • The discussions are aimed at developing the tactical and technical efficiency of members of the restructured AFL.

Gbagbo’s Man Arrested in Grand Gedeh County [The New Dawn]

  • Isaac who reportedly headed a 45-man squad of Liberian mercenaries to fight in Ivory Coast has been arrested in Grand Gedeh County.
  • Isaac Chegbo, otherwise known as General Bob Marley was arrested by joint security officers at Gbarbo Town checkpoint with a gun.
  • He told security forces that he saw no reason to stay in Ivory Coast when Laurent Gbagbo had been captured.
  • The ex-MODEL fighter said he made away with one AK-47 rifle and a pistol from Ivory Coast

Woman Gets 15 years For Armed Robbery [New Democrat]

  • Criminal Court ‘D’ of the Temple of Justice Monday sentenced Martha Sirleaf to jail for 15 years for armed robbery.
  • Judge Benedict Holt said Martha Sirleaf committed the act of armed robbery as evidenced by the jurors’ unanimous guilty verdict.
  • The state had indicted Otis Varfley and Martha Sirleaf for allegedly committing armed robbery. But principal defendant Otis Varfley was used as state witness to testify against co-defendant Martha Sirleaf who was convicted of the crime.
  • In his testimony, Otis Varfley narrated that Martha Sirleaf was the mastermind of the operation in which both persons allegedly stole L$565,000 from the Bola Town Woman Savings Club in Careysburg, Montserrado County.
  • Meanwhile, defense lawyers have taken exception to the verdict saying that they will seek recourse at the Supreme Court.

How Richer Are They Now? [New Democrat]

  • The General Auditing Commission has begun auditing the 2005 Assets Declarations of various public officials, including President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
  • The audit is intended to verify the extent of the public officials’ wealth and compliance with tax regulations.

US$2.5 Million ’26 Audit Results out Today [New Democrat]

  • Preliminary results of an audit conducted by the General Auditing Commission to investigate how Independence Day celebration funds have been used over the last four years have been released.
  • The audit results reveal that huge sums purportedly spent cannot be accounted for.
  • It includes the reported payment of US$10,000 from the Grand Bassa County fund to the family of a murdered Chinese woman in Barnersville.