By Lincoln G. Peters
MONROVIA, Liberia, August 7, 2026 – Two dismissed senior officials of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR) have accused the Commission’s Acting Chairperson, Cllr. Mohammed E. Fahnbulleh, of sexual harassment, abuse of office, and suppressing key human rights reports.
The allegations were made Thursday during a joint press conference by former Executive Director Atty. Urias Teh-Pour and former Director for Planning Baw Wah Brownell, a day after they were dismissed by the INCHR Board of Commissioners.
The two former officials claimed that Fahnbulleh’s allegations against them were motivated by personal vendetta, which they alleged stemmed from issues surrounding an investigation into claims of sexual harassment involving a female staff member.
They alleged that Fahnbulleh had previously been investigated by civil society organizations over sexual harassment allegations and was found culpable.
The dismissed officials further claimed that Fahnbulleh mishandled the case involving the late Prince Wreyou, whose death triggered violent protests at the INCHR compound, alleging that the matter remains unresolved.
According to them, Fahnbulleh has used his position as Acting Chairperson to dismiss and intimidate staff members who questioned his conduct.
“Commissioner Fahnbulleh was investigated by civil society organizations for sexual harassment of a female staffer and found culpable,” the officials alleged.
They further claimed that within three weeks, Fahnbulleh had dismissed several key staff members, including Director Peter Zaizay, whom they alleged had previously been threatened after submitting an unfavorable report on a high-profile case, as well as the Commission’s Gender Coordinator and other staff.
The former officials also alleged that staff meetings had become forums for threats and displays of political influence, creating what they described as a climate of fear within the institution.
They maintained that the corruption allegations leveled against them have no legal basis and were intended to damage their reputations, weaken the Commission, and undermine Liberia’s human rights commitments.
Teh-Pour and Brownell said they remained committed to transparency and accountability, noting that independent audits had validated their stewardship of the institution.
Cllr. Fahnbulleh had not publicly responded to the allegations as of press time. The allegations remain unproven, and there has been no independent confirmation of the claims made by the dismissed officials.
