By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, July 22, 2026 — Former presidential Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoo was detained at the Monrovia Central Prison on Tuesday after failing to secure a valid US$8 million criminal appearance bond in her ongoing corruption trial.
Before entering the prison, commonly known as South Beach, Bundoo briefly spoke with journalists and praised God while maintaining her innocence.
“For some time now, I have decided not to talk and to remain silent. But at this point, I say all glory belongs to God,” she said. “I came by myself before my lawyers could come. All I have to say is, glory be to God.”
Bundoo said her voluntary surrender demonstrated her innocence and willingness to submit to the judicial process.
Judge Ousman F. Feika of Criminal Court “C” ordered her detention after rejecting two property valuation bonds filed on her behalf. The court ruled that the properties offered were insufficient to guarantee her appearance at trial.
The ruling followed a motion to justify surety and objections filed by state prosecutors. The court had previously rejected Bundoo’s earlier bonds after determining that the sureties were unqualified and gave her 72 hours to submit a new bond.
According to Judge Feika, one property offered by surety John Moses Gbetee had already been pledged in approximately 20 other court cases, involving bonds totaling US$2,426,500.
The judge said accepting the same property as security would violate provisions of Liberia’s Civil Procedure Law governing criminal appearance bonds.
The court also found that the combined value of the two newly submitted properties—US$590,000—fell substantially below the US$8 million bond required, considering the seriousness of the charges.
Judge Feika consequently rejected the bonds and ordered Bundoo to submit a valid US$8 million criminal appearance bond. He also instructed the sheriff to take her into custody or execute a writ of arrest if she was outside the court’s jurisdiction.
Bundoo later surrendered voluntarily following the issuance of the writ and was transported to the Monrovia Central Prison, where she will remain until the court approves a valid bond.
Bundoo and several co-defendants are charged with money laundering, theft of property, misuse of public money or records, criminal conspiracy, forgery and criminal facilitation.
They were indicted by a Montserrado County grand jury on November 5, 2025. Bundoo was served with the indictment and writ of arrest on June 9, 2026, after returning to Liberia. She has not been convicted of the charges.
