Jonathan Paye-Layleh
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/ 7 December 2007

Court orders arrest of former Liberian leader

A criminal court has ordered the arrest of Liberia’s ex-president Gyude Bryant on allegations that he embezzled ,3-million while in office. Bryant, who led the nation for two years as a transitional president following the end of Liberia’s 14-year civil war, stepped down in 2005 after Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf won democratic presidential elections.

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/ 29 July 2007

Liberia lifts diamond-mining moratorium

The Liberian government has lifted a self-imposed moratorium on the mining, sale and export of diamonds that had been in place for six years, officials said on Saturday. Deputy Minister of Lands, Mines and Energy Kpandeh Fayia said that, ”as of Monday, people can start applying for mining, selling and broker licences” for the stones.

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/ 12 March 2006

Liberia denies extradition request for Taylor

A spokesperson for Liberia’s government on Saturday denied the president issued an extradition request for exiled ex-warlord Charles Taylor. Taylor’s wife, Jewel, said her husband received a copy of a letter on Friday purportedly from Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf asking Nigerian head of state Olusegun Obasanjo to extradite Taylor.

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/ 23 November 2005

Congratulations, Madam President

Election officials on Wednesday confirmed Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as the winner in Liberia’s post-war elections, making her Africa’s first-ever elected female President. With all ballots counted, election officials earlier said Johnson-Sirleaf received 59,4% of the vote to soccer superstar George Weah’s 40,6%.