MONROVIA 5 Mar (ANA) - The son of Liberia's ex-President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been charged with economic sabotage in connection with the unlawful printing of local currency worth millions of dollars.

 

Charles Sirleaf is suspected of pocketing some of the proceeds in 2016-18. He was a deputy governor of Liberia's Central Bank at the time.

 

Four other ex-bank officials were also charged. Two of them are on the run.

 

The accused have so far made no comments on the allegations.

 

An independent report into the missing millions was released last week.

 

One of the world's poorest nations, Liberia has been struggling with rampant corruption.

 

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, president of the West African country from 2006 to 2018, was credited with bringing economic stability after years of conflict.

 

On Monday, Mr Sirleaf, former bank chief Milton Weeks and bank official Dorbor Hagba were charged with economic sabotage, misuse of public money and criminal conspiracy.

 

A judge in the capital Monrovia ordered them to be held in prison pending their trial.

 

Lawyers for the accused have not responded to the allegations.

 

The other two defendants still at large were named as Richard Walker and Joseph Dennis.(ANA)

FA/ANA/5 March 2019-------