By Lofa County, Liberia – A voter ID card scandal has emerged in Lofa County as a man named Tarnue Kollie, a resident of Borkeza Town in Zorzor District, accused Abulaye Dulleh, a recognized supporter of the CDC and President George Weah’s re-election, of being in possession of 82 voter ID cards. According to Tarnue, he was asked by Abulaye to escort him to Woi-lee-zeze, a town located in the suburb of Borkeza Town in Zorzor District, Lofa County, but within Guinea. Their mission was to engage the citizens who had participated in the October 10th election in Liberia.
While in Woi-lee-zeze, Abulaye allegedly convinced the eligible voters in the area to entrust him with their Liberian voting ID cards to ensure a commitment to vote for President Weah during the upcoming run-off election in Liberia. Tarnue, who is now in police custody, revealed that Abulaye promised to return the 82 voter ID cards to their respective owners three days before the run-off. Each of the eligible voters reportedly received $500 Guinea Francs, equivalent to $1,000 LRD, as an incentive from Abulaye in exchange for their ID cards.
A phone call recording in possession of authorities partially supports Tarnue’s claims, where Abulaye assures Tarnue that he will return the voter ID cards to the people of Woi-lee-zeze before the run-off. Abulaye is yet to be arrested by the LNP, despite telling Tarnue that he was in Monrovia, as anonymous sources suggest he remains in Zorzor and not in the capital, as claimed in the recorded phone call. The case adds to concerns regarding the potential manipulation of votes in Lofa County and elsewhere in Liberia.
By: Alphanso G. Kalama
