MONROVIA – In a new twist to Liberia’s growing foreign aid scandal, former Assistant Minister for American Affairs, Maxwell Vah, has publicly accused ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah of misappropriating $2.5 million in aid from the Government of Saudi Arabia. The funds, Vah claims, were intended for food assistance and restoration work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Speaking live on Radio Gbehzohn in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, Vah alleged that the misappropriation occurred in 2022 and that his repeated attempts to raise the issue during cabinet meetings under former President George Weah were deliberately ignored. According to him, “This issue was downplayed at the highest level,” suggesting complicity or indifference within the former administration.
Vah’s comments come amid an ongoing investigation into the illegal diversion of Saudi-donated relief rice meant to support disaster victims and vulnerable communities across Liberia. He urged the public not to dismiss the investigation as a political witch hunt, insisting that Kemayah must account for the missing rice and “exonerate himself” if he is innocent. Vah further claimed that Kemayah engaged in activities that strained Liberia’s diplomatic relationships, though he provided no further details on those allegations.
The case centers around a consignment of 29,412 bags of rice, donated in April 2023 by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KS-Relief). The rice, valued at approximately US$425,918, was allegedly mishandled by senior officials, including Kemayah, who now faces formal corruption charges.
On Thursday, June 26, Kemayah, along with former General Services Agency (GSA) Director Mary Broh and former National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Executive Director Henry O. Williams, appeared before Criminal Court “C” following their release from the Monrovia Central Prison. Their indictment was issued by the Government of Liberia through the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), led by Cllr. Edward Kla Martin in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice.
Investigators allege that 25,054 bags of the Saudi-donated rice were unlawfully diverted through secret meetings, unauthorized actions, and a calculated usurpation of NDMA’s statutory authority. The rice was reportedly removed from official warehouses without documentation or any legal procedural backing.
In addition to Kemayah, those indicted include Mary Broh, Varney A. Sirleaf, former Minister of Internal Affairs; Thelma Sawyer, former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs/Administration; Henry O. Williams; Augustine Tamba, NDMA Deputy Director for Operations; Augustine M. Kollie, Director for Disaster Victims at NDMA; and several other officials and employees of the NDMA, GSA, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The charges levied, Theft of Property, Economic Sabotage, Misapplication of Entrusted Property, Abuse of Office, and Criminal Conspiracy, represent what AREPT has called a gross betrayal of public trust. The Taskforce emphasized that these acts not only undermine the credibility of Liberia’s public institutions but also insult the generosity of a key international partner.
Meanwhile, as the case unfolds, the public awaits to see whether more high-ranking officials will be drawn into what is becoming one of Liberia’s most embarrassing post-war corruption sagas. President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration has vowed to pursue justice and restore integrity in the handling of public resources, especially those tied to international goodwill.
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