Who sold Liberia’s Property in Belgium? …Senator Geevon-Smith alarms, As Heritage chronicles Details of Alleged Deal

On the opening day of the 3^rd and final session of the 54^th Legislature, River Cess County Senator Wellington Geevon-Smith raised an alarm bell regarding the alleged sale of a property owned by the Republic of Liberia in the Kingdom of Belgium.

The River Cess County Senator told the Plenary of the Liberian Senate that he has gathered cogent information that the properly in question belonging to Liberia was sold in Belgium.

Sen. Smith, whose alarm formed part of his topical issues while returning from break, vowed to follow the issue to the letter by first reducing it into a written complaint to the full plenary of the Senate.

Accordingly, on the heel of Senator Geevon-Smith’s startling revelation, the Independent Authoritative Heritage Newspaper launched an investigation which reveals semblance of truth in the information provided by the River Cess County Senator, whom himself, is a veteran Liberian journalist.

Documents gathered and in the possession of this paper divulge that top current and former officials of the Foreign Ministry of Foreign Affairs including former Minister Milton Gbezohngar Findley and former Deputy Minister for Administration, Mawine G. Diggs, who led the negotiation on behalf of the Government of Liberia.

Our documents further disclose that the land in question was sold to one Benoit Gerkens, a resident at Rue du Parlement 3/6 1000 Brussels at the price of 300,000 Euros (three hundred thousand Euros).

Also, our documents indicate that a deposit of 5,470 euros (five thousand four hundred and seventy euros) was first made by the buyer to the seller, which was deducted from this amount. Furthermore, the amount of 4,000 euros (four thousand euros) was transferred to the bank account of the Embassy of the Republic of Liberia to the Kingdom of Belgium (BE19 0682 1297 1712) with that amount intended to cover the cost of cleaning the land by the municipality in 2019.

The buyer – Mr. Benoit Gerkens, Heritage investigation further reveals, is a close friend to the manager of President George Manneh Weah’s son, Timothy Weah, who now plies his for Italian giant Juventus in the Italian Series “A.”

All efforts including calls and text message to get former Minister Findley to respond to the issue raised by Sen. Smith and investigation of the Heritage proved futile, as he failed to answer his phone, return the calls nor respond to the text message.

Also, when contacted, Justice Minister and Attorney General of Liberia, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean, in response after receiving the documents said he could not authenticate them.

"I am not aware and cannot speak to the authenticity of the documents," he added.