By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia — The Chairman of the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, has reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to fighting corruption, tracing stolen public assets, and strengthening accountability, as the Taskforce enters the 2026 operational year.
Speaking Tuesday during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing, Cllr. Martin said AREPT remains fully committed to its mandate under Executive Order No. 145, operating independently and in strict adherence to the rule of law and due process.
Reviewing the Taskforce’s performance in 2025, the AREPT Chairman described the year as challenging but productive, noting significant progress in confronting suspicious asset accumulation and economic crimes. He acknowledged the continued support of the Liberian people, the media, and both local and international partners.
Cllr. Martin disclosed that AREPT successfully established working relationships with several United Kingdom–based international firms, including Grant Thornton, Omnia Strategy LLP, ITJ Consulting, and Blake Morgan, to support asset recovery litigation on behalf of the Republic of Liberia. He also highlighted a major legal milestone at the Supreme Court of Liberia, where a nine-month stay order arising from a 2024 petition filed by Gracious Ride was lifted.
The AREPT Chairman further announced the unsealing of three major indictments, while confirming that forty (40) cases remain under active investigation involving alleged theft of public property and other serious acts of corruption. The unsealed cases include the Saudi Rice Case, involving the alleged mismanagement of over US$500,000 worth of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Anita Group of Companies/Gracious Ride Case, involving alleged money laundering and concealment of more than US$6.7 million and L$845 million in public funds; and the MDMC/Ministry of Foreign Affairs Contract Case, involving the alleged misappropriation of US$851,136.13 from a US$1.95 million renovation contract.
On the status of the cases, Cllr. Martin said all indictments have been served and are pending trial litigation. He noted that January marks three months since a stay order was issued in November 2025 by Supreme Court Justice in Chambers, Her Honor Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie, following a petition filed by Madam Thelma Duncan Sawyer, a defendant in all three indictments. He disclosed that an assignment has since been issued for the hearing of the MDMC/MOFA case and expressed hope that corruption-related matters would be accorded the urgency they deserve, while reaffirming respect for judicial independence.
Addressing concerns over indicted individuals yet to be arrested, the AREPT Chairman stated that most defendants have been served with indictments and writs of arrest. However, he named Pamela Anita Jallah, CEO of the Anita Group of Companies, and Nora Finda Bundoo, former Chief of Protocol, as remaining at large. He assured the public that lawful mechanisms have been activated to ensure their arrest and prosecution.
Cllr. Martin also condemned a recent incident involving the Monrovia Diplomatic and Missionary Corporation (MDMC), which reportedly submitted a Christmas parcel to AREPT despite being under indictment. He described the act as unethical and a violation of institutional standards, disclosing that the parcel was immediately returned. According to him, MDMC, through its CEO, has been issued a 72-hour ultimatum to explain the intent of the submission, warning that AREPT does not accept gifts or gestures from indicted individuals or institutions and that any recurrence would result in immediate arrest and criminal investigation.
Looking ahead to 2026, AREPT outlined key priorities, including deepening investigations into forty ongoing cases, advancing prosecutions already before the courts, working toward the unsealing of additional indictments, and expanding nationwide anti-corruption awareness initiatives.
In closing, the Taskforce expressed appreciation to the Liberian people for their patience, intelligence sharing, and continued support, encouraging citizens to report corruption and economic crimes. AREPT assured the public that all investigations will remain impartial, evidence-based, and conducted strictly within the confines of the law.
