-By Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce
By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia, Liberia – Liberia’s Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce has disclosed that it has identified thirty properties suspected of being acquired through misappropriated government funds. During an appearance before the House of Representatives on Thursday, May 22, 2025, AREPT Chairperson Cllr. Edward Kla Martin provided lawmakers with detailed updates on the task force’s ongoing investigations.
Martin disclosed that the Taskforce is currently pursuing twenty-eight active cases involving a diverse range of subjects, including business institutions, corporate entities, private individuals, and both current and former government officials. “These cases represent a systematic looting of state resources,” Martin stated emphatically during the hearing. “After months of painstaking investigation, we have gathered sufficient evidence linking these properties to illicitly obtained government funds.”
The investigations form part of AREPT’s comprehensive lifestyle audit program, which employs forensic accounting methods to examine the wealth accumulation patterns of public officials. This process involves comparing officials’ known legal income against their declared assets and expenditures, with any significant discrepancies triggering further investigation.
Forensic auditors are examining multiple aspects of subjects’ financial lives, including property acquisitions that appear disproportionate to legitimate earnings. Investigators are particularly focused on high-value real estate purchases made during subjects’ terms in public office. The audit process also scrutinizes business interests and investments that may have been used to launder stolen funds or conceal illicit wealth.
Additionally, this process will include the review of the financial activities of family members and close associates, as corrupt officials often use relatives as proxies to hide assets. A crucial component of the investigation involves verifying the legitimate sources of income used to acquire suspicious properties and other assets.
Since its establishment, AREPT has faced persistent accusations of political bias, with critics alleging the task force is primarily targeting officials from the previous George Weah administration. These allegations of witch-hunting have intensified following the disclosure of the thirty suspicious properties, with many observers speculating that most belong to individuals associated with the former president’s government.
Regarding cases nearing prosecution, Martin revealed that seventeen of twenty-seven cases related to theft and economic sabotage have reached advanced stages of investigation. These cases, which involve particularly egregious instances of corruption, are currently being prepared for submission to prosecutors. The chairperson expressed confidence that these cases would result in successful prosecutions and asset recoveries.
Beyond investigating stolen funds, the task force has uncovered numerous instances of illegally occupied government lands and properties across Liberia. These findings highlight another dimension of the systemic corruption plaguing the country, where public assets have been unlawfully converted to private use with impunity.
Martin emphasized the importance of international cooperation in the asset recovery process, detailing ongoing collaboration with partners in the United Kingdom and various European nations. This cross-border coordination is essential for tracing and recovering stolen Liberian assets that have been transferred overseas or hidden in foreign bank accounts.
While expressing confidence in the strength of the evidence collected, Martin maintained the task force’s policy of not disclosing specific names at this stage of investigations. This cautious approach aims to protect the integrity of ongoing probes while ensuring due process for all parties involved.
The chairperson used the hearing to advocate for important legal reforms that would strengthen AREPT’s mandate. Martin stressed the need to transition from the current executive order framework to proper legislation that would provide the task force with more robust legal standing and operational capacity.
Among the key legislative priorities outlined by Martin was the proposed Legal Framework Act, which would clearly define the task force’s powers, procedures, and oversight mechanisms. The chairperson also called for the establishment of a dedicated budget line to ensure consistent funding for both domestic operations and international asset recovery efforts.
Furthermore, Martin emphasized the need for International Cooperation Provisions that would facilitate smoother collaboration with foreign governments in tracing and recovering stolen assets. These legal instruments would help overcome current bureaucratic hurdles in cross-border investigations.
The House summoned the task force following a formal request from Maryland County District #1 Representative P. Mike Jury, reflecting legislative interest in AREPT’s work. The task force was originally established under Executive Order 126 in March 2024 and subsequently renewed under Executive Order 145 in March 2025, with its mandate focused specifically on recovering government assets that had been unlawfully converted to private use.
With multiple cases now approaching the judicial phase, AREPT is preparing to initiate formal legal proceedings to recover identified properties. The task force plans to intensify its international asset tracing efforts, particularly focusing on European financial centers where stolen Liberian funds may be held. Additionally, investigators are preparing to expand their probes into newly identified suspicious holdings as more leads continue to emerge.
Following AREPT’s appearance before the House of Representatives, the legislative body concluded its preliminary review of the task force’s concerns. Lawmakers are now considering the requests for enhanced budgetary allocation and permanent legislation to support AREPT’s long-term operations.
The task force’s origins trace back to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s March 2024 issuance of Executive Order #126, which created AREPT with the specific purpose of identifying and recovering public resources looted by corrupt Liberian leaders. However, the task force’s initial momentum was interrupted when the Supreme Court issued a stay order temporarily halting its operations.
The legal challenge came from Madam Finda Bundoo, who served as Chief of Protocol under former President George Weah. Bundoo, who also owns the controversial Gracious Ride Incorporated transportation company, petitioned the court after AREPT attempted to seize her company’s fleet of vehicles. This action sparked the legal battle that temporarily suspended the task force’s activities.
The Supreme Court ultimately delivered a decisive ruling on Tuesday, February 18, handing the Boakai administration a major victory. In a unanimous decision, the court upheld the constitutionality of Executive Order #126, affirming the president’s authority to create the assets recovery office. This landmark ruling removed the legal cloud over AREPT’s operations and allowed its investigations to resume in full force.
Bundoo’s legal challenge had centered on her claim that only the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) possessed the statutory authority to seize and recover stolen assets, arguing that a presidentially appointed committee like AREPT overstepped legal bounds. The Supreme Court’s rejection of this argument validated AREPT’s mandate and operational framework.
