By By: Staff Writer
Capitol Hill, Monrovia — A leaked audio allegedly tying the House’s late-night passage of a $53 million supplementary budget to bribery has put Bomi County District 3 Rep. Sam P. Jallah at the center of a credibility storm, with Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon summoning him to explain “misleading statements” that colleagues say undercut the Legislature’s integrity.
“That audio is not correct. It carries different messages that contradict each other,” Jallah told Journalists, calling the viral recording “doctored” after it circulated widely on social media. In the audio, Jallah is purported to have linked passage of the executive’s budget to payoffs — a claim he now flatly denies.
The denial comes as Speaker Koon moves to rein in what he calls unguarded public comments that risk bringing the House into “public disrepute.” Koon confirmed Jallah has been summoned to appear before House leadership Monday following complaints from lawmakers over “inconsistent statements.”
The bribery tape is not Jallah’s only controversy. He previously denied signing a resolution to remove Rep. Yekeh Kolubah, despite his name and signature appearing on the document. Rep. Mulbah, a member of the Hydrocarbon Committee Jallah chairs, called that “a serious breach of legislative governance.” Mulbah claimed Jallah later told him privately, “I did sign the resolution for the sake of the integrity of the House.”
Mulbah also accused Jallah of double standards for criticizing the supplementary budget’s nighttime passage while raising no objections when the same committee approved Total Energy and Otranto exploration directives “outside of regular working hours.”
“Claims should be substantiated with evidence rather than unsubstantiated assertions,” Mulbah wrote. “You were never present at the building during the session, so it is unclear how you arrived at such unfounded conclusions.”
Speaker Koon defended the $53 million budget process, saying it was “duly undertaken by both chambers” with endorsements from more than nine Ways, Means and Finance members and five Public Accounts members — a simple majority. He noted the Senate “would not have concurred without proper documentation and procedural compliance.”
The supplementary budget integrates $40 million in deferred World Bank assistance and $5 million in surplus domestic revenue. It allocates $14.55 million to public administration, $8.43 million to security, $9.57 million to infrastructure, $8.32 million to health, and $7.25 million to education. Mulbah argued it “specifically targets key sectors such as the AFL, police, and teachers” and said “anyone who opposes this budget demonstrates weakness and lacks genuine concern for Liberia’s well-being.”
Mulbah further alleged Jallah “privately pressures regulators and importers for personal gain” in his Hydrocarbon Committee role and accused him of “backing one’s godfather from the Senate.” He challenged an unnamed Senator to “approve the minimum wage amendment” and cut salaries from $8,000 to $5,000 “as the House of Representatives.”
Speaker Koon has announced a comprehensive workshop for lawmakers on legislative rules and ethics, urging members to ensure public communication reflects the integrity of the Legislature.
Rep. Jallah is expected to respond to leadership Monday as debate sharpens over transparency, loyalty, and political messaging in the 55th Legislature.
