MONROVIA, LIBERIA – A police investigation into an alleged procurement scam involving a former senior Liberia National Police officer has focused on WhatsApp communications, mobile-money transfers and an alleged false connection to a United Nations development program.
Former LNP Deputy Commissioner for Training and Manpower Development Saymor K. Mulbah is facing charges of Theft of Property by Deception and Criminal Conspiracy following allegations that he obtained approximately US$88,000 in money and goods from Lebanese businessman Khalil Ibrahim Fawaz between November 2025 and June 2026.
Unlike an ordinary commercial dispute, the allegations outlined in the September 29, 2026 police charge sheet describe an alleged scheme in which investigators say government and international-development identities were used to give a proposed procurement contract an appearance of official legitimacy.
According to police, Mulbah allegedly communicated with Fawaz through a WhatsApp account carrying Mulbah’s photograph and the designation “A2 Project Officer.”
Investigators allege that the account was used to convince Fawaz that Mulbah had the authority to facilitate contracts involving the supply of food, feeding materials and security training equipment to the LNP Training Academy.
Police further allege that Mulbah told Fawaz the project would be financed through a United Nations development donor program.
Investigators say Mulbah then provided the businessman with a communication that he allegedly portrayed as coming from the donor program.
The alleged donor connection became another component of the investigation after police say Mulbah introduced Lomax Geelor, allegedly presenting him as a UNDP representative responsible for processing the proposed contract.
Geelor has reportedly not been arrested and police have charged him in absentia with impersonating an official and theft of property by deception.
The alleged financial trail is another major element of the case.
Police say payments made by Fawaz included transfers to two mobile-money numbers, 0888108822 and 0777046513, which investigators allege were registered to Mulbah.
Other payments were allegedly made in cash.
Investigators say they interviewed mobile-money bureau operators and other witnesses who provided information about transactions involving the two numbers. Police also say statements and information obtained from Lonestar and Orange corroborated portions of the alleged transaction trail.
The use of mobile-money services could provide investigators with potentially important evidence because electronic transactions can establish dates, amounts and recipient details that can then be compared with witness accounts and other evidence.
The case therefore extends beyond the question of whether money changed hands. Investigators will have to establish what representations were made to the businessman, whether Mulbah had any legitimate authority connected to the purported procurement project, whether the alleged donor communication was genuine and whether the payments were connected to the promised contracts.
The police account also raises questions about the verification of people claiming to represent government institutions or international organizations.
A purported procurement opportunity involving a government agency and an international donor can appear credible to a businessperson, particularly when the person presenting the opportunity uses official-sounding titles, institutional references and documentation.
That makes independent verification especially important.
Businesses dealing with government procurement opportunities can protect themselves by confirming the identity and authority of individuals through the relevant institution, checking procurement notices and contracting procedures, and avoiding payments to individuals where official procurement rules do not require them.
The allegations also highlight the importance of institutional safeguards within government.
The fact that the alleged scheme reportedly involved a former senior police officer makes the case particularly significant for the LNP. Any allegation that a former officer used an official identity or institutional connection to facilitate a private financial transaction can affect public confidence in government procurement and police institutions.
Mulbah was arrested on September 26, 2026. Police say he had previously been invited for questioning in August but reportedly told investigators that he was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Bopolu and would report after his health improved.
The charge sheet additionally alleges that Mulbah had previously been dismissed from the Liberia National Police after a Professional Standards Division investigation reportedly found him liable for police misconduct and criminality.
Those previous allegations are distinct from the current charges and must not be treated as proof that he committed the offenses now before the court.
The alleged use of a police identity, a purported donor connection, digital communications and mobile-money accounts gives this case several dimensions that will require careful examination by the court.
Until that process is completed, the allegations remain unproven. Saymor K. Mulbah is presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
