Monrovia, Liberia – January 24, 2025
A DN News Investigation has confirmed that none of the institutions involved in the Liberian Senate Ad Hoc Committee’s investigation into MedTech Scientific Limited has complied with the committee’s recommendations.
In three separate communications dated January 15, 2025, addressed to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), and the National Port Authority (NPA), Ad Hoc Committee Chairman Senator Amara Konneh requested updates on the implementation of the committee’s recommendations. However, none of the institutions has responded.
When DN News followed up with Senator Konneh regarding the status of his communications, which had a deadline of January 23, 2025, he confirmed that no responses had been received. Senator Konneh remarked, “We have not received their responses yet. My office will follow up with them. Thanks for reaching out.”
The Senate Ad Hoc Committee had previously presented a report highlighting legal violations, financial mismanagement, and systemic failures in the Destination Inspection (DI) contract with MedTech Scientific Limited.
The report called for an immediate review, renegotiation, or cancellation of the contract, with the Attorney General tasked with assessing its legality. Additionally, the committee instructed MedTech to return funds owed to the government, submit financial records for auditing, and provide bank statements detailing all transactions linked to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA).
The committee also recommended a comprehensive audit of MedTech by the General Auditing Commission (GAC) to ensure that all revenues and expenditures were aligned with the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act. The audit was expected to verify whether the government’s share of the collected revenues was used for official purposes or diverted for unofficial activities.
Furthermore, the committee emphasized the need for stricter procurement oversight, better enforcement of procurement laws, capacity-building for government officials, and continuous legislative oversight of similar contracts. It also called for the public release of the investigation report to restore trust in the governance process.
The committee’s report accused MedTech of siphoning 20% of the government’s share of generated funds and recommended the immediate recovery of these monies. The findings revealed that MedTech failed to deposit government funds into the designated Transitory Account at Ecobank Liberia, as required by the contract. The report demanded that MedTech provide complete bank statements to facilitate a full audit and recovery of potentially misappropriated funds. The committee concluded by urging the Executive Branch to seek the Attorney General’s opinion on the legality of the DI contract, determine whether it should be renegotiated, and cancel it if found in violation of Liberian laws.
Since the report was presented to the Senate on September 19, 2024, no action has been taken by the Executive Branch or the institutions authorized to ensure MedTech’s compliance with the recommendations.
This inaction has raised questions about MedTech’s perceived immunity, despite public outcry and the government’s previous criticism of the DI deal while in opposition.
Amid this controversy, DN News has also obtained communications between the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) and MedTech Scientific Limited, which reveal an ongoing dispute.
The FIA accused MedTech of engaging in arbitrary overcharges on import documents and failing to refund overpayments to consignees, labeling these actions as corruption and extortion. MedTech, however, denied the allegations, asserting that it operates professionally and within the law.
In a letter dated November 19, 2024, MedTech’s General Manager, Atty. Oliver N. Rogers II, challenged the FIA’s authority to investigate such matters. He argued that the FIA lacked jurisdiction and stated, “The FIA has no jurisdiction to investigate acts or cases of extortion and corruption, least to ensure restitution.” MedTech maintained that any complaints should be directed to the LRA, under whose authority it operates.
MedTech further accused the FIA of pursuing baseless allegations, citing a similar case in 2023 where the agency allegedly failed to substantiate claims of money laundering and terrorist financing. The company argued that the FIA’s current actions reflected a continuation of its questionable conduct.
The FIA, in its defense, reiterated its authority as an independent agency under Liberian law. In a letter dated November 25, 2024, FIA Officer-In-Charge Mohammed A. Nasser emphasized that the agency is mandated to investigate financial crimes under the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Act of 2021. The FIA demanded that MedTech provide detailed financial records by December 13, 2024, warning that failure to comply would result in administrative and criminal sanctions.
MedTech resisted the request, citing confidentiality provisions in the Liberia Revenue Code, which prohibit the disclosure of taxpayer information. The company claimed that fulfilling the FIA’s demands would violate tax confidentiality laws.
The lack of enforcement of the Senate Committee’s recommendations, coupled with the clear challenge of FIA legitimacy by MedTech, has fueled public skepticism about the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
