Monrovia, Liberia– Former Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Tamba Koijee has been further publicly vindicated following a series of testimonies and official findings involving Momo Johnson, a staunch supporter of the ruling Unity Party; journalist Lennart Dodoo; the Liberia National Police (LNP); and social media activist Matina Konateh.
Momo Johnson Details Caldwell Land Incident and Other Alleged Falsehoods
In a Facebook post made just a few hours ago, Momo Johnson, widely known as a vocal supporter of the ruling Unity Party, defended Koijee against what he described as years of fabricated allegations.
Johnson highlighted the Caldwell land-dispute murder allegation,recalling that on April 22, 2021,talk show host Henry P. Costa accused Koijee of murdering a man over a land dispute in Caldwell. Johnson noted that the woman interviewed on the program introduced as a family spokesperson explicitly stated that Koijee’s name had never been mentioned in connection with the dispute involving her brother. Despite her clarification, Costa allegedly continued to insist on Koijee’s involvement.
Johnson emphasized that no evidence ever linked Koijee to the incident, that Koijee was never arrested or charged,and that the allegation remained unsupported.
Johnson also cited other claims he said were falsely attributed to Koijee over the years, including accusations of electoral violence, journalist intimidation, and alleged travel bans—claims supporters argue were later disproven or contradicted by available facts.
Journalist Lennart Dodoo Refutes Assault Allegation
Further bolstering Koijee’s defense, on December 13, 2025, Lennart Dodoo; Managing Editor of The Liberian Investigator and former News Desk Chief of FrontPage Africa, publicly rejected claims that Koijee assaulted him or seized his professional equipment in March 2021.
The allegation, published by online outlet DTV Liberia, claimed that Koijee confiscated Dodoo’s gadgets while serving as mayor. Dodoo dismissed the report as false and called on the outlet to issue a correction.
“As a media professional, truth and accuracy must always come first,” Dodoo stated.
His clarification directly contradicts the allegation and clears Koijee of wrongdoing in that matter.
Liberia National Police Cleared Koijee in 2024 Arms Importation Case
On July 23, 2024,the new leadership of the Liberia National Police (LNP) announced that it had reopened and reviewed the January 6, 2023, arms-importation investigation and concluded that the earlier findings were authentic and free from political influence.
Addressing a press conference, Inspector General of Police Col. Gregory O. W. Coleman confirmed that one Boyd Benjamin Baker remained the suspect in the case.
The LNP reiterated that Jefferson Koijee was not linked to the illegal importation of arms seized in shipping containers in 2023. Although Koijee’s name circulated widely on social media at the time, police investigators found no evidence connecting him to the ownership, importation, or distribution of the weapons. He was neither summoned as a suspect nor charged.
Matina Konateh Issues Public Apology
In another public development, Matina Konateh, a social media activist, issued a live Facebook apology to Koijee for falsely accusing him of involvement in the murder case connected to former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott, in which Charlotte Musu lost her life.
“I lied on Jefferson Koijee,” Konateh admitted, acknowledging that she and others had made untrue claims linking him to the case.
Her apology has since circulated widely online and has been cited by Koijee’s supporters as a significant public retraction.
Sanctions: When and Why Koijee Was Designated
Despite these domestic vindications, Jefferson Koijee was designated on the U.S. sanctions list between December 8 and 9, 2023,by the United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act
According to OFAC, Koijee was sanctioned based on allegations that he was responsible for or complicit in serious human rights abuses and corruption, The designation triggered asset-blocking measures and restrictions under U.S. law.
Koijee has publicly rejected the basis of the sanctions in past interviews, maintaining his innocence and asserting that the measures would not silence him. He has repeatedly expressed confidence that he will ultimately clear his name.
