Monrovia — Major corruption and asset recovery cases involving millions of United States and Liberian dollars remain before the courts without trial, as the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) waits for judicial clearance to proceed with litigation.
AREPT Chairman, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, disclosed Tuesday that all three major indictments unsealed by the Taskforce in 2025 have been served on defendants and are now pending trial, but progress has been slowed by a stay order issued in November 2025 by Supreme Court Justice in Chambers, Her Honor Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie.
The stay followed a petition filed by Madam Thelma Duncan Sawyer, a defendant named in the three indictments. According to Cllr. Martin, January marks three months since the stay was granted, though an assignment has since been issued for the hearing of the MDMC/Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) contract case.
Speaking during the Ministry of Information’s regular Tuesday press briefing, Martin reaffirmed AREPT’s commitment to asset tracing and recovery, while expressing concern over delays in corruption-related cases.
“While we fully respect the independence of the Judiciary, cases involving alleged theft of public resources deserve urgent attention,” Martin said.
The indictments include the Saudi Rice Case, which centers on the alleged mismanagement of US$500,000 worth of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Anita Group of Companies/Gracious Ride Case, involving alleged money laundering and concealment of more than US$6.7 million and L$845 million in public funds; and the MDMC/MOFA Contract Case, tied to the alleged misappropriation of US$851,136.13 from a US$1.95 million renovation contract.
Cllr. Martin also disclosed that AREPT currently has forty active cases under investigation involving alleged theft of public property and other economic crimes, in addition to the three indictments already before the courts.
Addressing institutional ethics, Martin revealed that MDMC recently submitted a Christmas parcel to AREPT despite being under indictment. He said the parcel was immediately returned and described the action as a violation of ethical standards. MDMC, through its Chief Executive Officer, has been given a 72-hour ultimatum to explain the intent of the submission, with AREPT warning that any repetition would result in immediate arrest and criminal investigation.
Beyond domestic proceedings, Martin said AREPT in 2025 established working relationships with several United Kingdom–based firms, including Grant Thornton, Omnia Strategy LLP, FTI Consulting, and Blake Morgan, to support asset recovery litigation on behalf of the Republic of Liberia.
He emphasized that AREPT operates independently under Executive Order No. 145 and remains committed to due process and the rule of law, despite what he described as a challenging year.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Taskforce outlined priorities including advancing prosecution of cases already before the courts, unsealing additional indictments, deepening investigations into ongoing cases, and expanding nationwide public awareness on corruption and asset recovery.
In closing, Martin called on the public to continue sharing information on corruption and economic crimes, assuring Liberians that all investigations will be impartial, evidence-based, and conducted strictly within the confines of the law.
For now, however, experts say, the pace of Liberia’s high-profile asset recovery efforts hinges largely on how quickly the courts move to lift stays and allow long-pending cases to proceed to trial.
