‘No missing cash’ in Liberia, says central bank

By Jonathan Paye-Layleh  |BBC News|

No cash has gone missing in Liberia despite reports of more than $100m (£76m) worth of freshly printed banknotes having disappeared, the head of the country’s central bank has said.

Several central bank officials were banned from travelling abroad after the story broke last month as the government ordered an investigation into the alleged disappearance.

Information Minister Eugene Nagbe, announcing the investigation in September, said there were no records that the banknotes were delivered to the central bank or had been put into circulation.

Talking to journalists on Tuesday, bank governor Nathaniel Patray said the information was untrue.

He said 15.5bn Liberian dollars ($100m) printed in Sweden in banknotes have been delivered into the bank vaults.

“The CBL (Central Bank of Liberia) has no records showing that monies printed under its authority have not yet been delivered into its reserve vaults,” Mr Patray said.

The governor also called for the removal of the travel bans to allow his staff to work.