(Adds details, background)
MONROVIA, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Liberia's parliament speakersaid on Thursday that he is stepping down to face briberycharges in a case involving London AIM-listed Sable Mining's attempted acquisition of an iron ore concession in thenorth of the country.
"If my recusal is the ultimate sacrifice that will move ourcountry forward and end this current quagmire, I am herewithrecusing myself from presiding over the plenary of the House ofRepresentatives," Alex Tyler said in a statement.
Tyler, who is free on bail, denies all wrongdoing.
President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf ordered in May an inquiryinto Sable's attempt to acquire an iron ore concession innorthern Liberia after the watchdog group Global Witness madeaccusations of wrongdoing in a report.
A grand jury in Liberia then indicted Sable Mining, itsChief Executive Officer Andrew Groves and five Liberians,including Tyler, on charges of bribery and using their positionsto amend Liberia's public procurement and concessions law.
The indictment alleges Tyler requested and received $75,000from Sable via a lawyer, who is among those indicted, to helpamend the concessions law.
The defendants deny the charges. Groves said in June thatthe indictment was politically motivated.
The indictment did not specify how Sable Mining was allegedto have benefited from the change to the law.
In his statement, Tyler criticized the government forprosecuting those named in the Global Witness report withoutconducting its own investigation but said he was stepping downto try to end gridlock in parliament created by the charges. (Reporting By Alphonso Toweh; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing byAlexandra Hudson and Richard Balmforth)
