Liberia’s President George Weah has urged citizens to avoid spreading rumors while investigation is going on over a string of tax officials’ deaths, reports said on Thursday.
President Weah told reporters that his administration has sought the help of United States experts to investigate the recent deaths of several tax officials including one senior government auditor, an official at the Liberia Revenue Authority, the director-general of Liberia’s Internal Audit Agency and two officials at the tax-collection agency.
The mysterious tax officials’ deaths have provoked outrage among Liberians who have always complained about continuing corruption and a dire economy. President Weah whose campaign promise included rooting out corruption has faced criticism over what they allege as his “bad governance”.
In 2019, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) shrank by 0.67% while the Liberian Dollar depreciated by 19.35%.
Liberia has been hit by series of crises including a civil war (1989 to 2003) and 2014-16 Ebola outbreak, which killed 4,800 people in the West African country.
Moreover, the coronavirus outbreak has as of on Thursday infected 1,372 Liberians and claimed 82 lives.
However, President Weah said he expected the investigation to reveal the real cause of the tax officials’ deaths that have sparked rumors of an assassination campaign.
ABJ/APA