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By: Staff Writer
Monrovia – The Board of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights has taken sweeping action against its top leadership, suspending the Executive Director and referring three senior officials to the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission amid allegations of financial misconduct and abuse of office.
Acting Chairperson Cllr. Mohammed E. Fahnbulleh disclosed the decision Tuesday during a press briefing in Monrovia. He said the move followed an internal review that uncovered what the Board described as serious violations of the Public Financial Management Law and the Commission’s own financial rules.
As part of the measures, the Board placed Executive Director Atty. Urias Teh-Pour and Planning Director Bah-wah Brownel on immediate suspension. The Board also forwarded Mr. Teh-Pour, suspended Chairperson Cllr. T. Dempster Brown, and Mr. Brownel to the LACC for investigation.
Board members said the suspensions are administrative and meant to secure records and protect the integrity of the investigation. They stressed that the actions do not amount to guilt and that those named remain entitled to due process and are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
Central to the probe is a US$20,175 grant from UNICEF Liberia received in October 2025. The Board alleges the money was handled outside INCHR’s official financial system and that signatory arrangements were changed, limiting access for authorized officials.
Concerns deepened after UNICEF wrote the Commission on June 24, 2026 rejecting parts of a report submitted in INCHR’s name. The Board added that repeated requests for key documents — including project proposals, grant agreements, financial reports, procurement records, contracts, and bank statements — were not fully complied with, prompting the need for an independent investigation.
The Board also asked the LACC to look into suspected payroll irregularities. Preliminary findings suggest that former commissioners and staff may have continued receiving salaries after exiting INCHR, raising questions about possible diversion of public funds.
The Board noted that four commissioners had called for an independent audit of INCHR in 2022 over governance concerns, but that audit was never carried out. Cllr. Fahnbulleh said the current LACC referral now provides a chance to uncover the facts, enforce accountability, and rebuild public trust.
He urged the suspended officials to cooperate with investigators and called on the LACC to treat the matter as a priority.
The Board reaffirmed INCHR’s commitment to transparency in managing both public and donor funds, and said any confirmed violations should be prosecuted under Liberian law.
