By Amos Harris
Monrovia, Liberia — The Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (ARPRT) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to reclaiming stolen public wealth, even as it navigates mounting legal challenges and heightened public scrutiny.
Cllr. Clark Martin, head of the Taskforce, made the declaration over the weekend in Monrovia, emphasizing that the institution remains undeterred in its efforts to combat corruption and restore accountability in Liberia.
Martin recalled that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai swiftly established the Taskforce on January 5, 2024, just days after assuming office. This move was a direct fulfillment of the President’s campaign promise to usher in a new era of transparency and good governance. “The Taskforce was mandated to trace, identify, and recover assets stolen from the Liberian people both within and outside the country,” Martin stated. He lamented Liberia’s developmental paradox: “Liberia is Africa’s oldest republic, yet our national development fails to reflect this rich history. The abuse of public resources has crippled our institutions, including healthcare, education, and infrastructure.”
Despite initial momentum, Martin disclosed that the Taskforce faced a major legal roadblock when a lawsuit was filed against its operations, resulting in a nine-month pause ordered by the Supreme Court. “Even during that period of silence, we worked discreetly. We collected evidence, mapped assets, and prepared our cases,” he revealed.
Following the lifting of the legal stay in early 2025, President Boakai restructured the Taskforce and reissued its mandate on March 5. The reconstituted ARPRT resumed its work with 17 legacy cases, which have since expanded to 26 following intelligence gathering and documentation review.
One of the most significant cases involves a humanitarian donation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to Martin, Saudi Arabia donated rice and relief supplies valued at half a million U.S. dollars for disaster victims in Liberia. However, over 9,000 bags of rice reportedly vanished while in transit between the National Disaster Management Agency and the General Services Agency.
“This case is one of three high-profile investigations we have concluded,” he disclosed. “Twelve individuals have been indicted following extensive evidence collection and due process. Some of the accused failed to respond. We proceeded to the Grand Jury, obtained indictments, and are now pursuing prosecution in Criminal Court ‘C’.” To prevent any of the accused from fleeing the country, the Taskforce filed a Writ of Ne Exeat Republica, legally barring them from traveling outside Liberia during trial proceedings.
“We are not interested in political vendettas or unlawful arrests. Every step we take is anchored in legal procedure—evidence gathering, indictments, court filings—all in line with due process,” Cllr. Martin emphasized.
He further revealed that the Taskforce has made significant progress through international cooperation, particularly with the United Kingdom. Joint efforts have led to the tracing of stolen Liberian assets abroad, and preparations are underway to initiate recovery actions in British courts under both UK and Liberian legal provisions.
In addition to the completed investigations, two more cases are nearing finalization, with Cllr. Martin promising to provide public updates once the evidence review is concluded. He extended appreciation to Liberia’s international development partners for their support and called on all government agencies to cooperate fully with the Taskforce.
“This is not about settling political scores. It is about justice, accountability, and the rule of law. Liberians deserve to know where their resources went, and we are committed to uncovering that truth.”
As Liberia continues its push to restore public confidence in governance, the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce remains at the forefront of national efforts to reclaim misappropriated assets and hold perpetrators accountable under the law.
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