By Staff Writer | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – The long-standing Vehicle Theft case at the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) has heatedly resurfaced with new urge from the NPHIL Board of Directors and Chairman, Dr. Stephen Kennedy, to withdraw the case from the court. But, the NPHIL Senior Management Team under the leadership of Director General Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan has refused and wants the case prosecuted to ensure accountability and transparency in institutional governance, and protection of government property.
“We want the NPHIL Vehicle Theft case heard by the court; anyone who steals government property should not go with impunity, no matter their political or other connections,” Dr. Nyan said recently in interviews on local radios.
Sources close to the case have disclosed that Board Chairman Dr. Stephen Kennedy has been actively lobbying the court, the NPHIL legal department, and the Ministry of Justice to have the case dropped. Calls to reached Dr. Kennedy went unanswered.
A meeting held between Kennedy and Dr. Nyan’s leadership Team last August to evaluate Kennedy’s request ended with the Senior Management Team (SMT) rejecting the Board’s proposal to drop the case and reinstate Darlington Bah and Quaqua Pewee.
In a letter dated August 12, 2025 under the signature of NPHIL Director General Dougbeh Chris Nyan, the SMT informed NPHIL Board Chair Dr. Kennedy that:
“Following our discussions and my rounds with Senior Management Team (SMT) members of the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), we wish to inform you that the NPHIL is not in the position to withdraw the Vehicle Theft case from the courts as requested by you.”
The letter continued:
“When we completed the investigation of the Vehicle Theft case, a full report was sent to the NPHIL Board through you, HE President Joseph Boakai, and the Minister of Justice, Cllr. Oswald Tweh for further actions. Those involved (including Darlington Bah for whom you are concerned) were further investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Liberia National Police and forwarded to court for persecution. Should you still desire to pursue withdrawing the case from the court, we advise that you directly contact the Ministry of Justice with your request and reasons,” Dr. Nyan’s letter advised.
The letter to the Board also raised concerns about dismissed officials being paid by the Civil Service Agency (CSA), stating that “we are concerned that two of the NPHIL personnel (Quaqua Pewee and Darlington Bah who were dismissed and suspended without pay, respectively) continue to be paid by the Civil Service Agency (CSA) actions under its false claim of “wrongful dismissal.” We raised this issue with CSA Director General, Hon. Josiah Joekai multiple times, but CSA continues to insert the two names on the NPHIL final payroll at the CSA before sending same to the Ministry of Finance for salary payment since January 2025. Thus, we kindly request the intervention of the Board.”
In January 2025, the NPHIL leadership under Dr. Nyan took action against alleged corruption within its ranks, dismissing two senior officials and suspending several others, following an investigation into the unauthorized removal and illegal sale by some top NPHIL officials of eleven government-owned vehicles.
The dismissals, announced by Dr. Nyan, affected George Watson, Special Assistant to the Deputy Director for Administration (Dr. Adams Lincoln), and Pewee Quaqua, Director of Logistics. Based on recommendation from the NPHIL investigation, Dr. Adams Lincoln was later terminated by President Joseph Boakai in October 2025 for masterminding the theft scheme.
Others affected by Dr. Nyan’s corrective action included, Darlington Bah, Deputy Director for Logistics and non-biological “son” of Dr. Stephen Kennedy. Bah was indefinitely suspended without pay, while three drivers received three-month suspensions each, without pay.
The decision to terminate and suspend the employees followed the findings of a seven-member investigation committee, which comprised representatives from the Liberia National Police, the Internal Audit Agency, and NPHIL’s senior staff and management team. The terminated employees were referred to the Ministry of Justice which took further legal actions, including indictment and restitution of the stolen government properties.
The investigation into the NPHIL Vehicle theft uncovered evidence of fraudulent activities, including the use of forged General Service Agency (GSA) documents to facilitate the illegal sale and personal appropriation of NPHIL vehicles by Quaqua Pewee and Dr. Adams Lincoln. GSA employee, Franklin Philiku, who forged the GSA documents was suspended by his agency and turned over to the Liberia National Police for further legal action.
“Corruption will have no place at the NPHIL under my watch, as this may undermine the progress we are making here. We will strive to maintain the integrity and standards of the NPHIL,” Dr. Nyan emphasized in an NPHIL press statement, reaffirming his commitment to tackling corruption within the institution.
Dr. Nyan had called on the NPHIL Board of Directors and the Ministry of Justice, to support the leadership’s efforts to combat corruption and protect the integrity of the institution, but this appears to be hindered with the actions of the NPHIL Board Chair Kennedy that appears to be protective of some culprits of the vehicle theft and calling for the case to be dropped.
“The NPHIL Vehicle Theft case brings to light the problem of system corruption in government and how cover-ups by some governing authorities present a setback in the quest for accountability, transparency and good governance,” Dr. Nyan warned.
Meanwhile, Dr. Nyan continues to stress “the need to align these anti-corruption actions with Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Development, which prioritizes accountability and transparency in governance.”
