Tiah J. D. Slanger, the former head of the Maritime Bureau in Liberia under the Gyude Bryant led interim government is now seeing operating a grocery store in Philadelphia. Mr. J.D. Slanger, also a former senior member of the rebel group “Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL)”, was entangled in a $3.5 million dollars corruption scandal that erupted at the Liberia Maritime Bureau. In mid-July 2005, Mr. Slanger was suspended by Gyude Bryant “then head of the Interim Government” and charged under the panel code for economic sabotage and fraud of the internal revenue of Liberia. On August 3rd, 2005, suspended maritime commissioner spent his first night behind bars at the Monrovia Central prison after prosecutors rejected to his release on bond. Prior to his imprisonment, a $10.000.00 reward was offered (by the Interim government) for any information leading to the arrest of Slanger and Mohammed Dukuly. Dukuly served as Liberia’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Weeks later, news spread around Liberia and the U.S. about the disappearance of Slanger and Dukuly. Few days later, Slanger surfaced in the city of Philadelphia where he has since resided.
What happened to the millions of dollars that was allegedly embezzled or misappropriated by Slanger and his colleagues remains the question of the century to many Liberians. Recently, rumor spread around Philadelphia about Slanger’s behind the scene store. A close associate of Mr. Slanger (who chose to remain anonymous) informed this author that there was strange store rising at the corner of 62nd street and Woodland Ave. When asked about his definition of strange, he said: This man “Tiah J.D.Slanger” has been preaching around here that he did not take a penny from Liberia. How then can he open a grocery store out of a sudden? The associate went on; anyway, we are watching closely to see how fast this store will grow economically. Another important point that
