Police Arrest CU Student for Defrauding Over 100 Students

The Liberia National Police (LNP) Bong County Detachment has arrested Peter Willie, a student of Cuttington University, for his alleged involvement in a fraudulent job recruitment scheme that targeted and deceived over 100 students in Gbarnga. According to police investigators, Willie posed as a recruitment agent for ArcelorMittal Liberia, falsely promising lucrative two-month vacation job opportunities in Yekepa, Nimba County. The suspect allegedly demanded payments ranging from US$10 to US$30 from students of both Cuttington University and Bong County Technical College (BCTC) in exchange for securing the supposed job placements. Preliminary investigations revealed that Willie, working in concert with an accomplice identified as Joshua Barkor, created a group chat to advertise the fabricated vacancies. The duo reportedly assured prospective applicants that successful candidates would be guaranteed employment and that Willie had the necessary connections within the company to facilitate the process. As the alleged recruitment process progressed, victims began noticing inconsistencies in Willie’s explanations. One victim recounted that the group was initially scheduled to travel to Yekepa on Monday, July 28, but Willie postponed the trip to Friday, citing unclear reasons. Later, he claimed that only 28 applicants would be accepted because others had requested refunds. “When we started questioning him, he refused to connect us with any ArcelorMittal supervisor,” said one aggrieved student. “How can you collect money from over 125 people and later say you’ll only work with 28? That’s when we knew something was wrong.” Frustrations grew among the victims, many of whom had borrowed money to pay for the fake job placements. When pressed for clarification, Willie reportedly avoided direct communication and stopped responding to persistent inquiries from the affected students. Following multiple complaints, the LNP launched an investigation that confirmed Willie has no affiliation with ArcelorMittal Liberia or any of its contractors. Acting on credible intelligence, police officers apprehended Willie in Gbarnga on August 2, 2025. The suspect is currently in police custody and is expected to be formally charged and presented before the Gbarnga Magisterial Court in the coming days. His alleged accomplice, Joshua Barkor, remains at large as police intensify efforts to bring him to justice. The Liberia National Police cautions students and job seekers to exercise vigilance and verify employment opportunities through official company channels before making any financial commitments. The LNP also calls on the public to report suspected scams immediately to help prevent similar incidents.