Monrovia-The query on the lips of a number of Liberians is now not about these already arrested, charged and briefly detained; it’s somewhat about these which may be subsequent in line for doable arrest, indictment and incarceration because the Liberian authorities strengthens its anti-corruption dragnet.
Amid the sweeping arrest and transient detention of a number of former officers of presidency early Thursday, there is likely to be no escape for others who might have overstepped their authorities, put arms within the cookies jar and abused the general public belief.
The involved ones would possibly, by now, be affected by extreme perspiration, worrying and wandering about how their days could also be numbered – they too would possibly comply with swimsuit.
Who’s arrested and why
The nation early Thursday woke with the gorgeous information of the arrest and indictment and subsequent detention on the Monrovia Central Jail of former Overseas Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, former Deputy Overseas Minister, Thelma Sawyer, former Director Basic of the Basic Providers Company (GSA), Mary Tarnyennoh Brohand Mr. Archievego Doe, Director of Communications of the Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Company.
Their arrest and detention is in relation to their alleged respective roles within the mismanagement of rice donated by a overseas authorities for the Liberian folks, primarily disasters affected Liberians.
The arrested former officers are formally charged with financial sabotage because of a methodical investigation carried out by the Property Restoration and Property Retrieval Process Power, which is working underneath the umbrella of the Ministry of Justice.
The costs bothered on alleged offenses starting from financial sabotage, misuse of public funds, theft of property, abuse of workplace, and legal conspiracy for the alleged mishandling of a considerable rice donation supposed for the advantage of disaster-affected communities inside Liberia.
As per the indictment, the motion of the defendants costedthe federal government of Liberia, shedding a big amount of 25,054 luggage donated to the nation.
The alleged squandered rice, mentioned to value $425,918, was donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by way of Fouta Company Inc., in April 2023, to offer essential sustenance to communities grappling with the aftermath of varied disasters.
Taskforce Communications Director Joseph Daniel confirmed that the rice, a part of a consignment of 29,412 luggage valued at $425,918, was supposed for catastrophe victims however was secretly diverted “for private and political profit.”
“They held secret conferences and distributed the rice with none documentation,” Daniel acknowledged. “That is only the start; extra arrests are forthcoming as the duty drive finalizes ongoing probes into no less than 17 associated instances.”
The rice was donated in April 2023 by way of the King Salman Humanitarian Support and Reduction Middle and was consigned to the Nationwide Catastrophe Administration Company.
On the time, the NDMA claimed it had pre-positioned roughly 5,000 luggage in Bong County for emergency response. Nonetheless, rising considerations concerning the accountability of the remaining rice led to a proper investigation by the taskforce.
In accordance with Daniel, the indictment contains fees of theft of property, financial sabotage, and abuse of public workplace. He mentioned the case was constructed over a number of months of investigation, including that extra arrests are imminent as authorities proceed probing different corruption-related instances involving former officers.
Broh and Williams are anticipated to face trial underneath the present indictment. The Ministry of Justice and the taskforce are collectively working to hint the lacking rice and any related monetary transactions.
Officers say further arrests are anticipated within the coming weeks because the taskforce accelerates efforts to prosecute people implicated within the broader corruption probe.
Nonetheless, the federal government of Liberia has applied a journey ban on the defendants, limiting from leaving the nation whereas going by way of prosecution.
The arrest and indictment of the 4 former officers of the Weah-led administration is a big transfer that sheds gentle on authorities’s dedication to its anti-corruption pledge, guaranteeing former and present officers of presidency linked to foul-play whereas in workplace is dropped at justice.
The arrest and indictment stemming from an Asset Restoration Process Power investigation is seen as the primary transfer by the Process Power to stamp its authority and sign its willpower to get better each stolen nationwide asset.
Others indicted however not but arrested
Different indictees not but arrested embrace Varney A. Sirleaf, Former Minister of Inner Affairs, Augustine Tamba, Deputy Director for Ops., NDMA, Augustine Kollie, Director for Catastrophe Victims, NDMA, Henry O. Willaims, former
Government Director, NDMA, Edward S. Konneh, Worker, Edris Bility, former GSA Deputy Director/Ops, Mamie Davies, Assistant Director, GSA,Momolu Johnson, Deputy Minister of Inner Affairs/Adm., Rosetta L. Gbassay Bowah, Logistics Officer, NDMA, Wayfa Ciapha, purported CEO, Group of Seventy-seven, Evelyn Gbee, Warehouse Supervisor and others to be recognized.
The indictees are charged with numerous crimes starting from Theft of Property, Financial Sabotage (Misuse of Public Cash, Property or Information; Theft and/or unlawful disbursement and expenditure of public cash, Misapplication of entrusted Property, Abuse of workplace Prison Conspiracy. Origin of the Process Power
Recall that President Joseph Boakai within the early days of his administration established an Asset Restoration Process Power underneath Government Order No. 126 charged with the accountability of retrieving all stolen authorities properties in and out of doors of Liberia.
Nonetheless, after delays and authorized hiccups within the execution of its duties, the President on March 5, 2025, signed Government Order No. 145, renewing the time period of the Asset Restoration Process Power to reclaim all improperly acquired authorities belongings.
President Boakai’s renewal of the Process Power stemmed from the Supreme Court docket of Liberia’s rejection of a problem to Government Order 126 and upheld its constitutionality.
In accordance with the Government Mansion, Government Order 126 outlines the justification for establishing the duty drive, that sure present and former officers have wrongfully enriched themselves by illegally buying belongings on the expense of the Liberian authorities and its residents.
“It underscores the duty of public officers to declare their belongings each when getting into and leaving public service, in accordance with established rules, to advertise transparency, accountability, and correct stewardship of public workplace,” Government Mansion acknowledged.
EO #126 additionally stresses the necessity to get better public belongings which were wrongfully taken and diverted for private acquire, guaranteeing they’re returned to the Liberian folks.
It mandates the prosecution of these accountable, in accordance with the legislation, and assigns the duty drive with the accountability of recovering all improperly acquired authorities belongings, together with these unlawfully bought to personal people.
Government Order 126 accords the Asset Restoration Process Power broad powers to systematically examine and prosecute instances to get better stolen or suspicious belongings. Particularly, the duty drive is empowered to determine and hint all of Liberia’s stolen and suspicious belongings, each inside and out of doors of the nation’s borders.
Additionally it is mandated to kind an investigative panel to probe into stolen and suspicious belongings, assemble an efficient and strong authorized and investigative staff to assemble and put together concrete proof, provoke legal prosecution and civil litigation on behalf of the federal government of Liberia, the place relevant, and upon adjudication, return confiscated belongings to Liberia.
It additional known as for the imposition of journey ban and different restrictions on people recognized as suspects whereas underneath investigation, whereas on the similar time mandated to make the most of diplomatic channels and Interpol to extradite suspects situated exterior of Liberia’s jurisdiction to convey them underneath investigation.
The EO #126 establishes the duty drive inside the Ministry of State for Particular Providers, mandating full cooperation and help from the Basic Providers Company, the Ministry of Justice, and all safety companies, whereas directing the Ministry of Finance and Improvement Planning to allocate and disburse the mandatory funding to make sure the duty drive can successfully perform its mission.
Nonetheless, whereas EO # 145 renewed the time period of the duty drive which was set to run out in a yr time, and named 5 members to the group together with chairman, a vice chairman and three members.
The brand new EO mandates that the duty drive to coordinate and collaborate carefully with numerous authorities companies—together with the Ministry of Justice, Liberia Anti-Corruption Fee, Workplace of the Ombudsman, Basic Providers Company, Liberia Income Authority, and Monetary Intelligence Company—to successfully execute its mandate. Likewise, it requires the heads of those companies to offer full cooperation to help the duty drive’s operations.
Constitutional Problem Rejected
These authorized actions stemmed from a petition filed earlier than the Liberian Supreme Court docket on April 5, 2024, by the Anita Group of Firms, a transportation firm mentioned to be owned by the previous chief of protocol to ex-President George Weah.
This adopted the duty drive seizure of the corporate’s automobiles mentioned to be wrongfully and dubiously gotten.
Who subsequent within the dragnet
Who may very well be the following as effectively to fall within the anti-corruption dragnet is barely identified the these closed to ongoing investigations into alleged misapplication of entrusted sources.
Already, the federal government has introduced that there can be extra arrests within the coming days, prompting questions as to who would possibly within the offing for arrest.
Because the stakes are excessive, reminiscences are refreshed with the problem of former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoowho was invited some occasions in the past by the Process Power for query for alleged corruption surrounding the fleet of automobiles plying the streets for industrial functions.
The considerations and apprehension end result from an earlier invitation prolonged her by the Asset Restoration Process Power concerning corruption allegations.
The previous chief of Protocol to the previous head of state declined to look earlier than the Process Power by way of her authorized staff; entreating the duty drive to indict her if they’ve proof to show the allegation of corruption.
In a April 16, 2025 communication, Cllr. Abraham Wade Simpson, Madam Bundooauthorized illustration, questioned the legitimacy and equity of the duty drive’s investigation course of.
Her letter raised considerations concerning the procedures, and alleged that the duty drive had already reached conclusions on the alleged guilt of the 2 people, doubtlessly compromising their proper to a good listening to.
Her look was scheduled to happen on the Golden Key Lodge on Thursday, April 17, 2025, however her attorneys cited alleged incriminating proof within the possession of the duty drive.
“The duty drive’s motion as inappropriate,” careworn Cllr. Sampson, including “justice is greatest served in a courtroom the place correct authorized procedures will be adopted.”
Cllr. Sampson used his reliance on Article 21 of the Liberia 1986 Structure and Sections 2.1 and a couple of.3 of the Prison Process Regulation, which assure the rights of people to due course of and safety from arbitrary therapy.
“The choice to not seem was not a refusal to cooperate with justice however a dedication to making sure that every one proceedings are carried out lawfully and transparently,” he emphasised.
She didn’t meet the duty drive as requested however expressed willingness to answer the allegations of corruption in a court docket of competent jurisdiction.
In March, the Asset Restoration and Property Retrieval Process Power launched investigations into 17 instances of misappropriated authorities sources, signaling a renewed dedication to accountability and transparency within the Nation.
Making the announcement, Cllr. Edwin KlaMartin, chairman of the Process Power, emphasised the group’s adherence to authorized procedures, dispelling considerations that the trouble is politically motivated.
He mentioned in an ELBC interview: “We need to guarantee the Liberian those who we’re performing in conformity with the legislation.”
He added: “Our focus is on figuring out, tracing, and recovering belongings that have been unlawfully taken, whereas guaranteeing that these concerned are given due course of.”
The Process Power was reestablished underneath Government Order 145 by President Joseph N. Boakai, granting it broad authority to scrutinize fraudulent company entities, shell firms, and illicit monetary transactions that drained authorities coffers.
Martin detailed how some officers, together with native and overseas enterprise associates, allegedly funneled public funds by way of fictitious firms, fraudulent contracts, and undelivered authorities provides.
The Process Power has enlisted forensic consultants Andrew Durant and Wayne Anthony from FTI Consulting, the world’s largest forensic accounting agency.
In accordance with the Taskforce, their experience in asset restoration, worldwide investigations, and monetary forensics is predicted to play an important function in tracing and repatriating stolen belongings.
He mentioned, “We sit up for persevering with conversations of Property Restoration over the course of the following two weeks and understanding a plan on how we will help not solely domestically within the investigation utilizing our expertise,” Durant mentioned. However I believe extra importantly is how we will help the Liberian authorities in its worldwide efforts to get better funds and repatriate that to the nation for the advantage of the folks.”
The arrested ex-government officers have been later launched after securing bail bonds.
