Monrovia – The Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT) has summoned Madam Nora Finda Bundoo, former Chief of Protocol to ex-President George Weah, for questioning in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged acts of corruption and economic crimes.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
According to a letter dated April 14 and obtained by FrontPageAfrica, Madam Bundoo is being investigated for her alleged role in a series of transactions involving the Anita Group of Companies and its transport subsidiary, Gracious Ride. She is expected to appear before the Task Force on Thursday, April 17, at 2:30 PM at its headquarters in the Golden Key Compound, ELWA King Gray, Paynesville.
The letter, signed by John Gbilee Shile, Head of Investigation and Intelligence, and approved by Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, Chairman of AREPT, alleges that Madam Bundoo, while serving as a public official, affixed her name and identity to corporate documents associated with the two entities, which are now under investigation for allegedly acquiring a fleet of Suzuki vehicles through questionable means.
Authorities believe the assets in question may have been obtained unlawfully using public resources, prompting enforcement under Executive Order No. 145, which reaffirms Executive Order No. 126. These orders empower the government to identify and retrieve assets believed to have been illicitly acquired by current or former officials.
The probe into Bundoo comes after the Supreme Court of Liberia, on January 14, denied a petition filed by Gracious Ride challenging the legality of AREPT. The company argued that the Task Force was unconstitutional since it was not established by legislative enactment. However, the court ruled that the petitioner lacked standing to bring the case forward.
Delivering the court’s opinion, Associate Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie stated that Gracious Ride could not assert constitutional claims on behalf of third parties and failed to prove that Executive Order No. 126 violated any constitutional provision.
“The petition praying for an Order of this Court declaring Executive Order 126 unconstitutional is hereby denied and it is HEREBY SO ORDERED,” Justice Wolokolie stated.
That ruling lifted a nine-month stay order that had put a pause on AREPT’s operations, effectively clearing the way for the resumption of its mandate.
The petition had been filed by Gracious Ride through its legal team, Cllr. Michael Wilkins Wright and Cllr. Abraham Zayzay. The lawyers argued that the Executive Order created an entity that duplicated the functions of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), which they said was the only body legally authorized to investigate corruption-related issues.
However, the government, represented by Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, countered that the President acted within his constitutional powers under Article 50 of the 1986 Constitution, which vests executive authority in the presidency. He maintained that the creation of AREPT did not infringe on any constitutional provisions and that the petitioner had no legal basis to challenge the executive order.
Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, AREPT issued a statement welcoming the decision and reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law and anti-corruption efforts.
“The Task Force has over the period of nine months complied with the Supreme Court stay order in obedience to the rule of law,” AREPT noted. “With a ruling now in favor of AREPT, it has settled the legality and legitimacy of Executive Order No. 126 in consonance with Article 5c of the Constitution.”
Cllr. Martin, a former chairman of the LACC under the Weah administration, emphasized that the Task Force will operate within the bounds of the law and due process. He also urged individuals summoned by AREPT to respect the rule of law and cooperate fully with the investigation.
