-To Weigh CHF’s Motion to Quash ARPRT Records Demand
By Jerromie S. Walters
MONROVIA – The First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Court “A,” has scheduled a hearing for February 10, 2026, to decide whether the Clar Hope Foundation must comply with a demand from the state’s Assets and Property Retrieval Task Force to hand over its financial and other sensitive records for investigation.
The Task Force is seeking to retrieve assets from the Foundation, prompting the charity to file a legal challenge. On January 29, 2026, the court issued a formal Notice of Re-assignment, setting a hearing for 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at the Temple of Justice. The sole agenda item is the Foundation’s “Motion to Quash Writ of Subpoena Duces Tecum for Lack of Jurisdiction.”
In simpler terms, the Foundation is asking the court to cancel a legal order demanding it produce certain records, arguing that the court has no authority in this matter. The hearing’s outcome will determine if the Task Force’s document request can proceed.
The notice, issued under the seal of the court and signed by Clerk Joanns G. Paulmal, commands the sheriff’s office to formally notify all parties. Legal representation includes Hector M. Dolo for the Task Force and counsel for the Foundation, with His Honour Roosevelt Z. Willie presiding.
Last week, the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Court “A” in Montserrado County granted the government’s Assets & Property Retrieval Task Force a subpoena compelling the Clar Hope Foundation to produce all records of its funding and construction. The order, signed by Presiding Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie, commands the foundation’s management to appear in court on January 23, 2026, with detailed donor lists, contribution amounts, and financial documents.
Clar Hope Foundation is ordered to produce copies of records pertaining to: • All funds received from individuals and government institutions for the construction of the foundation. • A complete list of institutions that made donations towards the construction, including the amounts contributed. • The specific amounts presented to the foundation. • The locations, telephone numbers, and addresses of all contributing parties.
The state is seeking clarity on how the organization financed its building projects. However, opposition figures view the court order as a political witch hunt. Former representative Acarous Moses Gray called it a “deadly political witch hunt and calamity of bitterness” from the Boakai regime, questioning in a Facebook post if the goal was to “take Hope Foundation and give it to his wife.” In November of last year, Criminal Court “A” commanded the Building Material Center (BMC) to produce all financial and contractual records concerning its work on the Clar Hope Foundation.
The court issued the subpoena following a formal petition from the government’s Assets & Property Retrieval Task Force, which is investigating the foundation for potential financial irregularities.
The court’s order, signed by Clerk Gabriel J. Smith, specifically demands that BMC’s General Manager, CEO, and shareholders appear before Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie on November 27, 2025. They were required to carry the complete construction contract, all payment vouchers and checks, official receipts, the Bill of Quantities, and every other document related to the project’s development and financing.
In a statement released on November 26, 2025, the Foundation expressed being “taken aback” by the move, framing it as an assault on Mrs. Weah’s lifelong humanitarian commitment to uplifting Liberian children and vulnerable communities. “It is disheartening that her genuine commitment and years of humanitarian service are now being clouded by baseless insinuations simply because some cannot conceive that a person would invest so much of her own resources to improve the lives of others,” the statement read.
It criticized the investigation’s premise, arguing it is being asked to “provide evidence for acts that never occurred” rather than the government first verifying its own financial records. It labeled the action “politically motivated” and designed to “malign the hard-earned reputation of Mrs. Weah.”
The statement pointed to what it called a pattern of intimidation, citing past “directives discouraging officials from attending its functions” and “punitive actions” against supporters since the Foundation opened last year. Despite the controversy, the Foundation pledged full legal cooperation and transparency. “Consistent with our longstanding practice, the Clar Hope Foundation will make all relevant documents available as required by law and will fully exercise its legal rights throughout this process,” it assured.
Mrs. Weah vowed to vigorously defend her name and the Foundation’s integrity, underscoring that their mission remains unchanged. “Our commitment to providing hope and opportunity to destitute Liberian children remains unwavering,” the statement concluded. Founded in June 2018, by the firm First Lady of the Republic of Liberia, Clar Hope Foundation is a non-political initiative aspiring to create an equitable society in Liberia where women, children, youth, and the elderly are healthy, educated, and fully empowered to lead an independent and prosperous life.
The year of the institution’s birth has always been assessed as a red flag, considering that it was the same year ex-president George Weah ascended to the presidency. Mrs. Weah says she embarked on the construction of the City of Hope, a massive modern facility where thousands of less-fortunate Liberians – orphans, street girls, and disadvantaged youth – would find hope for a better and brighter future, and also to restore the hope and dignity of the underprivileged,
