Gyude Bryant

Charles Gyude Bryant (born 17 January 1949) is a Liberian politician. He served as the Chairman of the Transitional Government of Liberia from 14 October 2003 to 16 January 2006. The installation of the transitional government was part of the peace agreement to end the country's second civil war, which had raged since the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebelled against President Charles Taylor in 1999. Bryant was previously a businessman and was chosen as chairman because he was seen as politically neutral and therefore acceptable to each of the warring factions, which included LURD, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL), and loyalists of former President Taylor. He is a prominent member of the Episcopal Church of Liberia, and was critical of the governments of Samuel Doe (1980–90) and Taylor (1997–2003).

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won the 2005 elections and took office in January 2006, succeeding Bryant.

Embezzlement

In January 2007, Bryant was questioned by police regarding allegations of corruption during his time in office.^[1] On 27 February 2007, Bryant was charged with embezzlement. His government is alleged to have embezzled more than US$1 million.^[2] On 12 March a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was not immediately arrested because he was said to be absent from Monrovia and in Lofa County instead,^[3] but on 13 March he was arrested and released on bond shortly thereafter.^[4] In court on 25 April, the defense argued that Bryant constitutionally enjoyed immunity for actions taken as head of state, while the prosecution argued that he did not because his appointment resulted from the Accra Accords in August 2003 and occurred outside the constitutional framework.^[5] On 24 August 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the prosecution's argument, enabling Bryant's trial to continue.^[6]

Bryant was arrested on 7 December 2007^[7][8] after failing to appear in court earlier in the week.^[7][9] He had said that he was boycotting the court because of his belief that he enjoys immunity.^[9] As he was being taken to a prison in Monrovia, he said: "This is a very, very, dark day for Liberia. This is the reward we get for restoring peace and democracy to our country."^[8] He was released from the central prison in Monrovia on 8 December after he signed a commitment to appear in court on 10 December.^[10]

On 30 April 2009, Bryant, along with four others, was acquitted of stealing US$1 million from the state oil refinery.^[11] Additional charges regarding the alleged theft of US$1.3 million from the state were dropped on 24 September 2010.^[12]

References