MONROVIA, Liberia — Liberia’s Solicitor General, Betty Larmie Blamo, has announced that the state of Georgia in the U.S. has banned Melvin Johnson from practicing law in the State. Blamo made the announcement on Tuesday, at a press briefing of the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism.
In Aug. 2013, the Liberian government indicted Ellen Corkrum and her boyfriend, Melvin Johnson for crimes of Economic Sabotage, theft of property, criminal conspiracy and misapplication of entrusted property.
Blamo said that the Liberian government charged Johnson and Corkrum with the conspiracy to divert US$60,000 of the Liberian people’s money to the accountant of his law firm in Georgia. Furthermore, Johnson was charged with misrepresentation of his status as a Liberian Lawyer because the Liberia Bar never admitted him.
In May 2014, the government’s lawyers in the U.S. presented a grievance to the Georgia Bar stating that Johnson had violated their rules of conduct by being fraudulent and deceitful.
Blamo announced that the government learned through its legal counsel in the U.S that its petition against Johnson was successful and has resulted in the suspension of Johnson’s license to practice law.
Blamo said that the government has presented an extradition request to the embassy of the United States for Johnson and Corkrum. She said the request is still standing before the US Department of Justice.
A visit to the state Bar of Georgia’s website on April 6 showed a Melvin T. Johnson as a suspended member.
