Monrovia, Liberia – Allegations of selective justice have rocked Liberia’s anti-graft campaign as the former Acting Director General of the Bureau of State Enterprises (BSE), Hon. Varlee F. Sarnor, is accused of receiving special treatment in an ongoing corruption case.
Sarnor, now serving as Deputy Director for Operations at the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), is reportedly being shielded from suspension despite serious indictments by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
Sources close to the matter told Heritage Newspaper that Minister of State Without Portfolio Mamaka Bility is allegedly at the center of efforts to protect Sarnor from accountability. Sarnor rose to prominence at the BSE after the suspension of his former boss, Arthur Massaquoi, who was placed under investigation for alleged financial improprieties and administrative malpractice.
President Joseph N. Boakai ordered Massaquoi’s suspension amid mounting reports of corruption, mismanagement, and abuse of office at the Bureau. The BSE, established in 1985 by Decree No. 8 to oversee and advise on state-owned enterprises (SOEs), has since been plunged into institutional turmoil, with its leadership crisis impairing operations.
The agency was recently tasked to conduct a comprehensive review of remuneration, stipends, and operational inefficiencies across SOEs, a mandate that heightened public expectations for transparency. Those expectations were shaken when Massaquoi was suspended, prompting widespread scrutiny of other senior officials, including Sarnor, over allegations of contract irregularities, nepotism, and abuse of authority.
Contrary to public anticipation, Sarnor was not suspended but instead transferred quietly from the BSE to the LRRRC as Deputy Director for Operations. Insiders allege that the transfer was orchestrated without the full knowledge of President Boakai and facilitated through political influence at the Executive level.
The LACC has since indicted Sarnor and several others on multiple counts, including economic sabotage, fraud against the Internal Revenue of Liberia, theft or illegal disbursement of public funds, and criminal conspiracy. According to the Commission, six individuals have been arrested and bonded, while Sarnor remains wanted but continues to hold public office at the LRRRC.
The situation has triggered outrage among civil society actors and political analysts, who argue that allowing Sarnor to remain in office undermines the integrity of Liberia’s anti-corruption drive. “If Massaquoi was suspended pending investigation, then Sarnor should face the same treatment,” one analyst told Heritage Newspaper.
Meanwhile, credible sources say the LACC has submitted its investigative report on Massaquoi, which reportedly clears him of substantial wrongdoing. However, insiders allege that the report has been deliberately concealed within the Executive Mansion to protect tribal and religious interests.
If proven, critics warn, such actions would amount to deliberate sidelining of an exonerated official while shielding another facing grave allegation. Observers caution that President Boakai’s credibility is now on the line, stressing that the fight against corruption must be impartial and consistent.
The controversy also revives the President’s November 28, 2024 directive limiting the powers of acting heads of government institutions, following reports of unauthorized decisions during leadership transitions. As pressure mounts, Liberians await President Boakai’s next move, with many insisting that how the administration handles the Sanor case will define whether Liberia’s anti-corruption campaign is seen as genuine reform or selective enforcement.
It can be recalled that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on November 28, 2024 issued a directive clarifying the role and authority of acting heads of government institutions. The directive followed reports that some acting heads were making unauthorized decisions of major policy implications during the temporary absence of substantive leaders.
These actions, President Boakai noted, have led to confusion, disrupted policy continuity, and, in some instances, weakened the authority of heads of these entities. In his directive, President Boakai emphasized that acting heads are to serve strictly as Officers in Charge, with their primary responsibility being the implementation of decisions and policies previously approved by the substantive heads of their respective entities.
To prevent any further disruptions, the President mandated the following measures that Acting heads are authorized only to execute financial, personnel, and policy decisions that were pre-approved by the substantive head before their departure and in situations where the substantive head is unavailable due to illness, incapacity, suspension, dismissal, or other urgent matters, the acting head must seek prior approval from the Office of the President before taking any significant actions.
President Boakai stressed that this directive is designed to safeguard the integrity of government operations and ensure consistency with established procedures.
