Gyude Bryant

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Gyude Bryant

Charles Gyude Bryant (born January 17, 1949) was the Chairman of the Transitional Government of Liberia from October 14, 2003 until January 16, 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 (1980–1990) and Taylor (1997–2003).

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

[edit] 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 1 million USD.^[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 March 13 he was arrested and released on bond shortly thereafter.^[4] In court on April 25, the defense argued that Bryant enjoyed immunity for actions taken as head of state, while the prosecution argued that he did not.^[5]