By Brian Okoth
Liberia's President Joseph Boakai has suspended the chief executive officer of the West African nation's state oil company, NOCAL, over alleged corruption.
In a press statement dated Saturday, February 8, President Boakai said the suspension of Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis follows recommendations by NOCAL's Board of Directors.
Boakai said: "Dennis has been ordered to turn over all government properties in her possession to the interim team, headed by NOCAL's Vice President for Operations Fabian Michael Lai."
Boakai stated that "an investigation has been ordered" against Dennis, adding that his government "remains committed to transparency, accountability and good governance."
Corruption allegations
NOCAL oversees petroleum exploration, development and production in Liberia.
Liberian newspapers report that Dennis, who is the CEO of Liberia's National Oil Company (NOCAL), recently acquired a motor vehicle using the company's money, but "inflated" its cost in the books of account.
According to the media reports, the CEO allegedly entered the vehicle's cost as 75,000 US dollars, yet its real price was 45,000 US dollars.
The allegations, which are now being investigated by Liberia's Anti-Corruption Commission, further say that Dennis attempted to ask the dealership, which sold the motor vehicle to her, to inflate the price to reflect the 75,000 US dollars figure.
Car 'registered under private company'
The motor vehicle dealership, however, reportedly refused.
Liberia's Front Page Africa reports that it was then that Dennis allegedly used the extra 30,000 US dollars to buy another vehicle, which was then registered under the name of her private company called Tanti Group, which deals in sanitation services.
That essentially meant one of the cars — the 45,000-US dollar seven-seater sport utility vehicle — was registered under NOCAL's name, and the 30,000-US dollar vehicle reflecting Dennis's private company as the owner.
Liberia's Anti-Corruption Commission says its preliminary investigations indicate the said-corrupt dealings took place between July and December 2024.
CEO summoned
In a summon letter to Dennis dated February 4, 2025, the anti-corruption agency also said the NOCAL CEO would be investigated for allegedly influencing the awarding of 585,000-US dollar consultancy contract to a company called West Africa Geo-Services (WAGS).
The anti-corruption body further says in its letter to Dennis that she allegedly paid 300,000 US dollars to WAGS without following public financial management laws.
The agency is also probing allegations that the CEO "mismanaged thousands of US dollars of NOCAL's funds intended for corporate social responsibility (CSR)."
The anti-graft agency says the monies were used by Dennis to "reward political supporters" in her home district in Liberia's northwestern county of Montserrado.
Former member of parliament
The allegations of Dennis's "unlawful" purchase of vehicles, among others, were recently exposed by Liberian activist Martin Kollie.
Responding to the allegations on Facebook on February 3, Dennis said: "NOCAL CEO's official car is not 75,000 US dollars as it has been reported by some extortionists. The vehicle, currently used by the CEO, was purchased at 42,000 US dollars."
Dennis, who says she doesn't unilaterally sign purchase approvals at NOCAL, added: "It was important for the CEO to have additional vehicles for errands to be used by her staffers."
Dennis, who is undergoing investigation, was a member of Liberia's previous parliament.
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