Liberia’s newly elected president George Weah on Wednesday withdrew the nomination of Charles Gibson as justice minister. The decision was prompted by Gibson’s involvement in an embezzlement case.
Gibson was nominated by Weah immediately he became the country’s president on 12 January.
Gibson’s nomination faced criticism by media and activists who said that his lawyer’s licence had been revoked for embezzling money from a client and therefore holding the office of justice minister would send the wrong message as far as the rule of justice is concerned.
A local online newspaper, the Daily Observer said that Gibson had stolen money from a Lebanese businessman who later filed a complaint against him. The Supreme Court heard the case and ruled that Gibson stole his client’s money worth $25,000 and then suspended his licence.
His credentials were further damaged when it was revealed that he ignored the Supreme Court order to repay his client until a week before his name surfaced on the nomination list of ministers.
Gibson urgued that he was not in a position to raise the money because he was broke from his license revocation and stated that he would have to rally support from friends to raise the money.
Musa Dean a former lawyer for the National Electoral Commission (NEC) will replace Gibson.
