MONROVIA, June 26 – A major corruption probe by Liberia’s Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force has led to the arrest and brief incarceration of several high-profile former government officials. They are accused of involvement in the alleged theft of over 25,000 bags of rice donated by the Saudi Arabian government for disaster victims in Liberia.
The defendants face a litany of serious charges, including theft of property, economic sabotage, misapplication of entrusted property, abuse of office, and criminal conspiracy.
The indictment details how former officials, including Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, General Services Agency boss Mary Broh, and Internal Affairs Minister Varney A. Sirleaf, allegedly conspired to divert and misappropriate a significant portion of the humanitarian aid. The rice, donated in April 2023 through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, was originally consigned to the National Disaster Management Agency.
According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly overstepped their authority, made unauthorized transfers of the rice, and failed to maintain proper distribution records. They are accused of stealing, misapplying, and illegally distributing a large quantity of the donated rice, depriving rightful recipients—Liberian disaster victims—of much-needed resources. The charges highlight a pattern of corruption and misconduct, emphasizing the defendants’ alleged abuse of their positions of authority and public trust.
The case, spearheaded by the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force and its Chairman, Cllr. Edwin K. Martin, underscores the critical need for accountability and transparency in public service.
While initially incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison, the defendants were released within hours after their legal teams filed a human surety bond.