The Chairperson of the Asset Recovery and Property Retriever Taskforce (AREPT), Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, stated that reliable and indisputable evidence is available against those recently indicted by the state, as part of efforts to combat corruption and public mismanagement.
In an interview conducted on Monday, June 30, 2025, in Monrovia, Cllr. Martin explained that anyone summoned by AREPT signifies that there is strong evidence regarding their involvement in the alleged crimes. Cllr. Martin described corruption as detrimental public practices that continue to harm the fabric of Liberian society, depriving citizens of essential social services such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
“I cannot provide detailed information on the current case related to those officials’ involvement in the Saudi Arabia rice benevolence issue because it is now in court. Regarding the allegation of US$2 million, we cannot comment on that to avoid undermining the case. I can only speak at a surface level; we currently have everything sealed,” stated Cllr. Martin.
In response to accusations of witch-hunting past government officials, Martin acknowledged that some may misinterpret their work as such. He believes that executing this task will be challenging, but he appreciated the support of the Liberian people for endorsing the process.
“We are preparing to launch an outdoor campaign and awareness program aimed at educating Liberians about asset recovery, encouraging them to report suspicious properties they believe belong to the government. This campaign is for all Liberians; we urge people to report and reach out to us. We have provided contact information and hope they will use it, so we can effectively combat corruption and identify illegal properties,” Cllr. Martin emphasized.
Providing updates on their investigations, he revealed that they currently have twenty-six active cases, including forty suspicious properties under investigation. “We have identified 40 high-value properties which are believed to have been acquired through illicit means by former government officials,” noted the AREPT Chairperson.
Furthermore, Chairman Martin reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing corruption and ensuring accountability for all individuals involved in the misappropriation of public resources. He stressed that no one will be exempt from accountability. Chairman Martin also warned that any individuals indicted who attempt to flee the country will be tracked down and apprehended with the aid of international partners.
“We currently have twenty-six active cases, three of which we have completed, and we are awaiting updates on the others. We have identified forty suspicious properties acquired using stolen government funds. We are now evaluating the sources of those properties and their ownership,” he stated.
In addition, he revealed that the findings of their investigation will be made public, indicating that they have identified bank accounts through which millions of United States Dollars were transferred. However, he declined to share specifics, citing concerns that it may incite protests among citizens. “We will not disclose that information until the legal process and investigation are concluded,” he stated.
It can be recalled that on Thursday, June 26, 2025, former Foreign Affairs Minister D. Maxwell Saah Kemayah and several other former government officials were arrested by the Liberia National Police and taken to Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia. They face allegations of mismanagement regarding 29,000 bags of donated relief rice, valued at over $425,000, intended for disaster-affected communities.
The defendants include Mary Broh, Varney A. Sirleaf, Thelma Sawyer, Augustine Tamba, Augustine Kollie, and Henry O. Williams. They have been indicted on charges of Theft of Property, Economic Sabotage, Misapplication of Entrusted Property, and Criminal Conspiracy, among others. They were remanded to Monrovia Central Prison following a complaint filed by the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice.
The investigation by the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force revealed that the defendants’ actions resulted in a loss of 25,054 bags of rice. The rice was donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2023, but was improperly managed by Kemayah and Sawyer, who made unauthorized decisions concerning its distribution. After their arrest, the former officials secured bail through their legal counsel.
