Monrovia, Liberia – Former Minister of Mines and Energy Wilmot Paye has claimed that his removal from government was partly connected to his refusal to participate in an alleged effort to conceal an academic fraud case involving former Commerce Inspector General Dorr Cooper at the University of Liberia.
Speaking Tuesday during an appearance on the popular talk show Spoon Talk, Paye alleged that after reports emerged regarding Cooper’s alleged academic misconduct, Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung Sr. contacted him and requested that his wife, who serves as a lecturer at the University of Liberia, assist in preventing details of the matter from becoming public.
According to Paye, he rejected the request and advised that Cooper should instead resign from his government position if the allegations were found to be credible.
“I refused to involve my wife in anything of that nature,” Paye said during the interview, maintaining that transparency and accountability should have guided the handling of the situation.
The former minister further alleged that his refusal to cooperate in what he described as a cover-up was among the reasons behind his eventual dismissal from the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
Paye, who served in President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration, was responsible for overseeing Liberia’s mining and energy sectors. During his tenure, he advocated for reforms aimed at strengthening governance in the mineral industry, improving revenue transparency, and enhancing accountability in the management of the country’s natural resources.
Since his departure from government, Paye has not held another public office.
The allegations made by the former minister have not been independently verified, and neither Vice President Koung nor Dorr Cooper had publicly responded to the claims at the time of publication.
The claims are likely to generate public debate and renewed scrutiny over issues of accountability, governance, and integrity within public institutions, particularly regarding the handling of allegations involving senior government officials and academic institutions.
This is a developing story.
