Assets Recovery & Property Retrieval Task Force-AREPT

24/08/2026

22/08/2026

AREPT Mourns the Passing of Vice Chairman Dr. Ranney B. Jackson 🕊️

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) announces with profound sadness the passing of its Vice Chairman, Dr. Ranney B. Jackson, who died Saturday morning at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia, following his admission on Thursday evening.

Dr. Jackson, age 74, was a distinguished public servant whose service to Liberia spanned several decades. Before joining AREPT, he served the country in several capacities, including as Superintendent of B**g County, Deputy Minister for Operations at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and a member of the National Transitional Legislative Assembly.

As Vice Chairman of AREPT, Dr. Jackson worked alongside Chairman Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin and other members of the Taskforce in advancing the Government of Liberia's efforts to promote accountability and trace and recover public assets. He brought to the institution decades of experience in public administration, governance and finance, and remained committed to public service until his passing.

AREPT has lost a dedicated colleague and public servant whose experience, counsel and commitment to Liberia were invaluable to our work.

Chairman Martin, the membership and staff of AREPT extend their deepest condolences to the Jackson family and all those affected by this loss.

May his soul rest in perfect peace.

16/08/2026

🎥 UNDERSTANDING THE CASES

⚖️ The Saudi Rice Case

The Public Relations Department of the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) is launching a series of short videos to provide the public with factual and accessible information about cases being handled by the Taskforce.

In Part One, we take a closer look at the Saudi Rice Case — what the case is about, the allegations before the court, and what to expect as the trial unfolds.

📌 Through this series, the Public Relations Department will explain important developments and help the public better understand what is happening in court, all in simple language.

14/08/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 DEFENDANTS TO FACE TRIAL BEGINNING MONDAY IN SAUDI RICE CASE OVER ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION OF DONATED RICE

MONROVIA, LIBERIA: Thirteen defendants are expected to face trial beginning Monday, August 17, 2026, before Criminal Court “C” in Montserrado County in connection with the alleged misappropriation of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Government of Liberia for disaster victims.

Those proceeding to trial are Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Varney A. Sirleaf, former Minister of Internal Affairs; Thelma Sawyer, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Administration; Augustine Kollie, Director for Disaster Victims at the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA); Henry O. Williams, former Executive Director of NDMA; Edward S. Konneh, NDMA employee; Archievego M. Doe, NDMA Communications Director; Edris Bility, former Deputy Director for Operations at the General Services Agency (GSA); Mamie Davies, Assistant Director at GSA; Momolu Johnson, former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs for Administration; Rosetta L. Gbassay Bowah, Logistics Officer at NDMA; Wayfa Ciapha, purported CEO of Group of Seventy-Seven; and Evelyn Gbee, Warehouse Manager.

The case stems from the donation of 29,412 bags of 25kg rice, valued at US$500,000, by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Government of Liberia in April 2023. The rice was intended for distribution to disaster-affected communities and victims across Liberia and was placed in warehouses under the management of relevant government institutions.

Following an investigation by the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), the defendants were indicted in 2025 in connection with the handling and distribution of the donated rice. The indictment alleges that 25,054 bags, valued at US$425,918, were stolen, misapplied or otherwise improperly distributed, depriving disaster victims and the Government of Liberia of the intended benefit of the donation.

The defendants face charges including Theft of Property, Economic Sabotage involving the Misuse of Public Money, Property or Records and Theft and/or Illegal Disbursement and Expenditure of Public Money, Misapplication of Entrusted Property, Abuse of Office, and Criminal Conspiracy.

The commencement of trial represents an important stage in the judicial process. Following pretrial proceedings and discovery, Criminal Court “C” ruled on August 11, 2026, that the matter should proceed to trial and scheduled proceedings to begin at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, August 17, 2026.

For AREPT, the trial is significant because asset recovery extends beyond investigation and indictment. The judicial process provides the opportunity for evidence gathered during investigations to be presented and tested before a court, for criminal responsibility to be determined, and for appropriate legal measures toward restitution and recovery of public assets to follow where warranted.

AREPT remains committed to working with the Ministry of Justice to pursue cases arising from its investigations through the courts while respecting due process, the rights of defendants, and the independence of the Judiciary.

The Taskforce will continue to keep the public informed of significant developments in the case consistent with the law and the integrity of the ongoing judicial process.

Signed:

Joseph F. Daniels
Public Relations Officer
Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce
(+231)778598286/888414124

04/08/2026

𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄

𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐨, 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬

Monrovia, Liberia – August 4, 2026 – The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, has filed a Motion to Refuse Jurisdiction before Criminal Court "C", asking the Court to decline jurisdiction over two Criminal Appearance Bonds recently filed on behalf of indictee Nora Finda Bundoo in the ongoing Gracious Ride case.

The motion is based on the position that the bond proceedings were already pending before the Justice in Chambers of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia when the new bonds were presented to and approved by Criminal Court "C". AREPT contends that once the Justice in Chambers assumed jurisdiction over the matter and cited the parties to a conference, the lower court should have awaited the outcome of those proceedings and the issuance of the appropriate mandate before taking further action on the bond issue.

The current motion follows a series of proceedings concerning Ms. Bundoo's Criminal Appearance Bond. On July 21, 2026, Criminal Court "C" sustained AREPT's exception to her replacement bond after finding that the sureties did not satisfy the requirements of Liberian law. The Court disqualified the bonds, fixed a new bail threshold of US$8 million, and ordered that Ms. Bundoo be taken into custody pending the filing and approval of a valid Criminal Appearance Bond.

Following her incarceration, counsel for Ms. Bundoo excepted to the ruling and petitioned the Justice in Chambers of the Supreme Court. The Justice in Chambers subsequently ordered her release pending a conference scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2026, to consider the issues raised in the petition.

AREPT states that while the matter was still pending before the Justice in Chambers and before the scheduled conference was held, two new Criminal Appearance Bonds were filed and approved before Criminal Court "C". It is this development that prompted the filing of the present Motion to Refuse Jurisdiction.

The Taskforce emphasizes that the motion does not challenge Ms. Bundoo's constitutional right to seek bail. Rather, it asks the Court to determine whether it could properly entertain and approve the new bonds while the same bond dispute remained before the Justice in Chambers of the Supreme Court. AREPT maintains that protecting established judicial procedures is essential to ensuring fairness, consistency and confidence in the administration of justice.

Ms. Bundoo and her co-defendants face charges including money laundering, theft of property, misuse of public money, property or records, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and criminal facilitation.

AREPT reaffirms its commitment to pursuing all matters before the courts through lawful procedures, respecting the independence of the Judiciary, and ensuring that criminal proceedings are conducted in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of Liberia.

Signed:

𝐉𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐡 𝐅. 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫
𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 (𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐓)
(+𝟐𝟑𝟏)𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟒𝟏𝟒𝟏𝟐𝟒/𝟕𝟕𝟖𝟓𝟗𝟖𝟐𝟖𝟔

26/07/2026

🇱🇷 Happy 179th Independence Day, Liberia! 🇱🇷

As we commemorate our nation's independence, let us reaffirm our collective commitment to integrity, accountability, and the rule of law.

Together, we can safeguard our national resources and build a Liberia where corruption has no place.

Happy Independence Day from the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT).

🤝🇱🇷 Together for a Transparent and Accountable Liberia.

22/07/2026

🎥 Media Interview

Our Chairperson, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, speaks to the media following Tuesday's ruling by the Presiding Judge of Criminal Court "C."

▶️ Watch live and stay informed on the latest developments.

09/07/2026

𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐓 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬 𝐑𝐞-𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨, 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭 “𝐂”

Monrovia, Liberia – July 9, 2026 – The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) has formally filed an exception before Criminal Court "C" challenging the Criminal Appearance Bond recently approved for indictee Nora Finda Bondoo and is seeking an order for her re-arrest pending the filing of a bond that fully complies with Liberian law.

The exception follows the Court's earlier ruling setting aside Ms. Bondo's previous bond and directing that a legally sufficient bond be filed within seventy-two (72) hours. Following the filing and approval of a new Criminal Appearance Bond, the prosecution conducted a thorough legal review and subsequently filed a formal exception identifying what it believes are significant legal and factual deficiencies in the new bond.

In its filing, the prosecution contends that the bond amount is grossly insufficient considering the magnitude of the offenses charged and the value of public funds allegedly involved. The exception further argues that the property presented as security does not satisfy the requirements of Liberian law and raises additional concerns regarding the legal sufficiency of the surety documentation supporting the bond.

Based on these findings, AREPT is asking the Court to set aside the newly approved bond, order the re-arrest of Ms. Bondo, and require that a legally compliant Criminal Appearance Bond be filed before her release.

The filing forms part of the ongoing prosecution in the Gracious Ride case, in which Ms. Bondo and several others stand indicted on charges including money laundering, theft of property, misuse of public money, property and records, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and criminal facilitation.

AREPT emphasizes that the exception is a lawful procedural remedy available under Liberian law and reflects the Taskforce's continued commitment to protecting the integrity of judicial proceedings while safeguarding public confidence in the administration of justice.

Signed:

𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗽𝗵 𝗙. 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹𝘀
𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿
𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 (𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗧)
𝟬𝟳𝟳𝟴𝟮𝟵𝟴𝟮𝟴𝟲/𝟬𝟴𝟴𝟴𝟰𝟭𝟰𝟭𝟮𝟰

06/07/2026

“AREPT is legally prepared to combat all of its indicated cases.”

Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, Chairperson, AREPT.

03/07/2026

AREPT Welcomes Court Ruling, Reaffirms Commitment to Prosecuting All Indicted Person

The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), welcomes the ruling of Criminal Court “C” in the matter involving indictee Nora Finda Bondoo's Criminal Appearance Bond in the Gracious Ride case.

The Court's decision followed exceptions filed by AREPT in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice challenging the legal sufficiency of the Criminal Appearance Bond filed on behalf of the indictee.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the Court disqualified the proposed sureties, set aside the bond, and ordered the filing of a new Criminal Appearance Bond within seventy-two (72) hours.

The ruling demonstrates AREPT's unwavering commitment to ensuring that all indictees are held fully accountable through lawful judicial processes and that no procedural irregularities undermine the administration of justice.

Throughout the proceedings, the Taskforce maintained that criminal appearance bonds must comply with established legal requirements and provide the Court with sufficient assurance that accused persons will remain subject to its jurisdiction. The Court's ruling affirms the importance of maintaining the integrity of judicial processes and ensuring that the administration of justice is guided by the rule of law.

The matter arises from the Gracious Ride case, one of Liberia's largest ongoing asset recovery prosecutions. The indictment involves allegations of money laundering, theft of property, misuse of public money, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and criminal facilitation in connection with approximately US$6.93 million and LRD 87.38 million in public resources.

Commenting on the ruling, AREPT Executive Chairperson, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, said:
"The ruling demonstrates AREPT's unwavering commitment to ensuring that all indictees are held fully accountable through lawful judicial processes and that no procedural irregularities undermine the administration of justice. Our responsibility is not only to investigate and prosecute, but also to safeguard the integrity of every legal process connected to those prosecutions. We remain committed to ensuring that every person charged before our courts answers those charges in accordance with the law and with full respect for due process."

AREPT emphasizes that its mandate extends beyond investigating allegations of corruption and tracing public assets. The Taskforce is equally committed to ensuring that judicial proceedings connected to its cases are conducted in accordance with the law, with fairness to all parties, while protecting the public interest and preserving confidence in Liberia's justice system.

The Taskforce remains steadfast in working with the Ministry of Justice and other partners to advance accountability, strengthen the rule of law, and facilitate the recovery of public assets for the benefit of the Liberian people.

Signed:

Joseph F. Daniels
Public Relations Officer
Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT)

Executive Mansion-Liberia
Liberia National Police - LNP
Ministry of Justice - Liberia
Ministry of Information
Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission LACC