Vice President Joseph Boakai, Defense Minister Samukai and Businessman Kailondo Accused
By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor in Monrovia
A hardcore known criminal, nicknamed “Ivorian” held up two t-shirt marked with Joseph Boakai and Emmanuel Nuquay. In the front of the t-shirt are inscribed, “Unity Party”. The t-shirts were materials of alleged plot to assassinate CDC Candidate George MannehWeah.
The plot to assassinate Weah was to be executed purportedly by Russian snipers, who were reportedly detailed to take out Weah in the swamp of his supporters and partisans at the headquarters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
The plan did not work. Three armed robbers or hard core criminals known to Liberians who claimed they were contacted by George Kailondo on behalf of Vice President and Unity Party Standard-bear Boakai and the current Defense Minister Samukai.
“These are the t-shirt,” Ivorian said, pointing the t-shirts being displayed on Facebook live. “These people (Kailondo, Samukai and Boakai) think Liberia is their farm,” he added.
The National Youth Wing of the CDC seized of the revelation to raise alarm that some executive committee members of the ruling Unity Party planned to assassinate their standard-bearer, Senator George Manneh Weah on last Saturday, August 19, during the official launched of party’s political campaign ahead of the October 10, 2017 Representatives and Presidential elections.
During a press conference held at the Party’s headquarters in Monrovia, August 23, a spokesman of the CDC’s Youth Wing, Alvin Wesseh, accused Defense Minister J. Brownie Samukai and Businessman George Bobby Kailondo to be acting under the directive of Vice President Joseph Nyumah Boakai and had hired three hard core criminals to stir up pandemonium that would have enable some Russian snipers to take Weah down.
Wesseh quoting the three would-be collaborators said the plan was to wait until Weah was addressing his supporters and partisans, the three men, namely “Oldpa Web”, alias “Long John”, George Ousumana alias “Ivorian” and Mustapha Seasay alias “Mustapha” were to wear Unity Party’s campaign T-Shirt walked into the crowd with objective that some partisans would have taken offense and a riot would have started.
It was during that time that the Russian assassins would have fired shots at Weah. The whereabouts of the Russians currently was not disclosed, and it was not also disclosed where the Russians would have fired the shot from.
Speaking also during the press conference, “Ivorian” the alleged collaborator, said that the deal was sealed with Mr. Kailondo, whom they claimed to have worked with on several occasions, promised to have given them US$10,000 after the mission was accomplished. Invorian said they were at Kailondo’s residence when Vice President Boakai called and Kailondo talked to him. They did not talk to the vice president or Defense Minister Brownie Samukai.
Kailondo allegedly provided LD$2, 000 for them to “get high” on weeds and alcohol. The three known criminals also alleged that Kailondo gave them 150 Unity Party t-shirts to be used during the operation.
Ivorian added that following the discussion at Kailondo’s house along the Roberts International Airport Highway, they concluded that the deal was not in the interest of the country and Weah has done no evil to them or anyone for them to kill him.
They chose not to carry out the plan, Ivorian said, instead they discuss to inform the police, but they on the second thought decided to divulge the information to the CDC. That was how they went to the Party’s headquarters to tell on the plan.
When contacted at his local hotel on the Old Road, George Kailondo denied of having link with the three men and described the allegation as “mere joke from the CDC’s camp”.
Kailondo added that the CDC should focus its attention on the ongoing campaign and fight to defeat Veep Boakai at the polls.
Kailondo is himself an ex-combat who fought alongside the former INPFL rebel leader and now Nimba Senator Prince Yormie Johnson during the 1990s. Kailondo abandoned fighting and established an airline company, through which he made his fotunes.
Kailondo has also been accused in the past of having connection with the downing of the Guarantee Trust Bank Country Manager, Dan Orogun, but he rejected the accusation.
The late Orogun, a banker with more than 20 years experience, had gone at the waterside resort with Kailondo to hang-out with friends and was on a boat when he reportedly fell over.
Eyewitnesses claimed that several attempts to rescue Orogun were unsuccessful. Mr. Orogun is credited with setting up GT Bank in Liberia’s next-door neighbors, Sierra Leone before moving to Liberia to get the bank started there
Sources within CDC corridor say that the Senator Weah and some officials of the party have already contacted President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, authorities of the United States embassy near Monrovia, the African Union, European Embassy, United Kingdom embassy and ECOWAS about reported threat and that the investigation will soon start.
