– Finda Bundoo’s Allies Rally Against AREPT Indictment
MONROVIA – Supporters of former Chief of Protocol Madam Nora Finda Bundoo are fiercely contesting the corruption and money laundering charges brought against her by Liberia’s Assets Recovery Taskforce, labeling the indictment a politically motivated “witch-hunt” designed to target opposition figures.
The charges have ignited a firestorm of criticism from Bundoo’s allies and the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), who accuse President Joseph Boakai’s Unity Party-led government of weaponizing state institutions to silence critics and weaken the former ruling party. They maintain that Bundoo is a legitimate businesswoman whose company, the Anita Group of Company, operated within the bounds of the law.
“I am not a criminal,” Bundoo’s stance was echoed by her defenders, who presented documents to counter the government’s case. They highlighted that the Anita Group remains a legally registered entity with valid 2024/2025 business registration and tax clearances from the very government now alleging criminality.
Central to their defense is a 2022 rice supply agreement between the Anita Group and the Ministry of Defense. Supporters presented evidence showing the contract was officially approved and notarized by the Ministries of Finance and Justice, arguing it is disingenuous for the current administration to retroactively deem the agreement illegal.
“It is the height of hypocrisy for the government to label this agreement illegal while continuing to collect taxes from the same company it now calls a criminal enterprise,” said Sekou Kalasco Damaro, a former presidential aide. “This inconsistency proves that these charges are not about justice; they are about politics.”
The CDC has formally rallied behind Bundoo, issuing a statement that condemned the indictment as “bogus, deceitful, and politically motivated.” The party accused the Boakai administration of using its anti-corruption drive as a smokescreen to distract the public from its own governance failures, including a struggling economy and internal corruption scandals.
