The Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) has described as baseless and unfounded calls for the suspension of Dr. Isaac P. Podah, President of the Lofa County University (LCU), based on his indictment by the 10th Judicial Circuit Court for alleged involvement in acts of corruption.
The indictment follows an investigative report from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the General Auditing Commission (GAC) Audit report on the operations of the Lofa County University. On September 2, 2025, Dr. Podah, along with the university’s former President, Dr. Samuel K. Ngaima and several senior officials of the institution were indicted on charges of Economic Sabotage, Theft of Property, Misapplication of Entrusted Property, Criminal Conspiracy, Conflict of Interest, and Abuse of Office for Private Gain, based on the LACC report on an investigation conducted into allegations of financial irregularities at the Lofa County University, totaling approximately USD 410,000 and LRD 13.3 million.
A release dated September 16, 2025, states that the Civil Society Network of Liberia (CSNL) believes the indictment of Dr. Isaac Podah for alleged corruption is politically motivated and misdirected. The CSNL’s analysis of the GAC Audit Report indicates that the alleged financial irregularities occurred before Dr. Podah became president. It points to discrepancies in a turnover note provided by his predecessor, Dr. Morlu Karsor, which were identified in a report from Liberia’s Office of the Comptroller and the Internal Audit Unit at the university.
“On March 31, 2025, the Civil Service Agency (CSA) acknowledged Dr. Podah’s March 8, 2025 communication regarding the suspension of Dr. Morlu Karsor and two others, Mr. Peter C.P. Taylor, Comptroller, and Mr. Beyan M.M. Kamara, Human Resource director, for alleged acts of financial and administrative irregularities discovered from the turnover note. Based on the alleged breaches of the public financial management regulations by Dr. Morlu Karsor, in collaboration with Mr. Peter C.P. Taylor and Mr. Beyan M.M. Kamara, while administering the affairs of the university after the removal of Dr. Samuel K. Ngaima, they were outrightly dismissed by the CSA,” the release said.
The civil society group expressed confusion over corruption allegations against Dr. Podah, citing a lack of evidence. Both Dr. Josiah Joekai from the CSA and the Comptroller and Accountant General praised Dr. Podah for addressing financial irregularities and upholding Lofa County University’s integrity.
“In a corruption cartel, Bank statements on the USD and LRD operational accounts of the Lofa County University, copies of which are in the possession of the CSNL show that Dr. Karsor, Mr. Peter C.P. Taylor and Dr. Samuel K. Ngaima used Mr. Duwana Mosielekie to withdraw the total of USD88,367.00; Alieu Kamara to withdraw the total of USD279,381.00; Jallah M. Kamara to withdraw the total of USD297,933.00 and LRD2,853,803.40; Mohammed Guilavogui to withdraw the total of USD51,000.00 and LRD2,853,803.40; Augustine Silgbah to withdraw the total of LRD3,298,000.00; Karsor Mulbah to withdraw the total of LRD166,500.00,” it added.
The CSNL said it is disappointing that those using Dr. Podah’s purported indictment as a basis to call for his suspension failed to independently verify the substantive nature of the corruption allegations against him, and encouraged them to fully read and analyze the LACC’s investigative findings on the GAC Audit report on the operations of the Lofa County University.
However, the Civil Society Network of Liberia averred that it had uncovered that allegations against Dr. Isaac P. Podah and calls for his suspension are an undermining effort by internal actors at the University. “The nature of the claims of corruption and indictment of Dr. Podah on flimsy grounds is due to the interest of a certain member of the university’s board, who desires his removal for the return of Mr. Morlu Karsor as President. Nevertheless, CSNL has since declined to mention the name.
The CSNL urges the Lofa County University Board of Trustees to resist any corrupt ambitions that could jeopardize Dr. Podah’s transformative reforms. Thanks to his efforts, enrollment rose from 700 to about 2000, practical science labs were established, the library was modernized, and facilities were upgraded with running water, electricity, and improved learning environments. Despite these successes, the CSNL report highlights that Dr. Podah is facing unwarranted challenges due to unchecked desires.
“While the Civil Society Network of Liberia frowns against and detests corruption to the core, the institution will not support those who are bent on making unfounded claims against the characters of officials of government without investigation,” the release quoted Sensee Kiadii, CSNL Executive Director, as saying.
The group contended that calls for the suspension of a public official should be based on hard facts or evidence, not politically motivated allegations, asserting, “Inasmuch as we do not support corruption and mismanagement of public funds, we believe that the corruption allegations and indictment against the President of the Lofa County University, Dr. Isaac Podah, is unfair, unjust, and disingenuous to his character and performance deliverables.”
