By Amos Harris
The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has thrown its support behind the latest indictments announced by the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT). However, the anti-graft institution warns that the government’s broader corruption fight risks losing credibility if these cases do not quickly lead to convictions and the actual recovery of stolen public assets.
Speaking on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at CENTAL headquarters in Monrovia, Executive Director Anderson Miamen described the latest legal action as a necessary step in the pursuit of accountability. He cautioned, however, that indictments alone should not be mistaken for justice. Miamen’s statement follows AREPT’s recent indictment of former Commerce Minister Mawine Diggs and several officials of the immediate past Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) administration. They are accused of diverting more than US$1.8 million earmarked for a rural women’s empowerment program.
According to the task force, the charges stem from credible evidence gathered through due process. Despite this, CENTAL maintains that the significance of the indictments will ultimately depend on whether the government can secure convictions, confiscate illicit assets, and ensure that stolen public wealth is returned to the state. In a sharply critical assessment, Miamen noted that Liberians are becoming weary of a recurring pattern of public investigations and headline-grabbing indictments that yield little visible progress in the actual retrieval of stolen money and properties. He stressed that the fight against corruption becomes meaningful only when it moves beyond indictments to achieve convictions, recovery, and deterrence.
CENTAL noted that the latest legal actions add to a growing list of high-profile cases pursued by AREPT. These include the indictment of former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoo and over 40 others in an alleged US$6.7 million corruption scandal, as well as the widely discussed Saudi rice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs renovation cases. While acknowledging that AREPT has survived early legal obstacles and broadened its investigative scope, CENTAL argues that more than two years after the task force’s establishment, the Liberian people deserve concrete and measurable outcomes.
The organization also raised concerns regarding the scale of public resources committed to the task force. CENTAL pointed out that AREPT has reportedly received significant budgetary support, in some cases surpassing the allocations of long-established public integrity institutions. Given this level of funding, CENTAL stated that the slow movement of corruption cases through the courts and the delayed pace of asset seizures are unacceptable. Consequently, the watchdog is renewing calls for the Government of Liberia to urgently establish the long-promised Specialized Anti-Corruption Court. They argue that corruption cases continue to languish in the ordinary judicial system, where they often lose momentum and urgency.
Furthermore, CENTAL called for the removal of the five-year statute of limitations on corruption-related offenses. The organization warned that the current legal framework creates opportunities for politically exposed persons to evade justice by simply waiting out the legal timeframe. Miamen also stated that the Judiciary must accept part of the blame for the sluggish progress, urging judges and prosecutors to treat corruption matters as cases of national survival. This is particularly vital given the devastating toll graft continues to exact on healthcare, education, road infrastructure, and other critical public services.
To strengthen the pursuit of justice, Miamen urged AREPT to deepen cooperation with foreign governments, financial intelligence institutions, and international legal firms to trace and repatriate offshore assets. Although AREPT has reported partnerships with UK-based firms to pursue foreign-held wealth, CENTAL notes that the public has yet to witness any major success in the repatriation of overseas assets. The organization concluded by demanding stronger and sustained financial support for Liberia’s core integrity institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, General Auditing Commission, and the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission. Without stronger institutional backing, CENTAL warns that Liberia’s anti-corruption rhetoric will continue to outpace its real outcomes.