By: Laymah Kollie
Monrovia, Liberia – The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has welcomed recent indictments by the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce but is calling for more concrete results in Liberia’s fight against corruption.
Speaking Thursday at a press conference in Monrovia, CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen praised the Taskforce’s latest actions, including the indictment of former government officials over the alleged diversion of approximately US$1.8 million intended for a rural women empowerment program. The indictments, announced by Taskforce Chairman Edwin Kla Martin, target former Commerce Minister Mawine Diggs and several others linked to the previous Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) administration.
CENTAL noted that the move follows earlier indictments, including a November 2025 case involving former Executive Mansion Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundor and over 40 others in an alleged US$6.7 million corruption scheme, as well as a June 2025 case against former Foreign Minister D. Maxwell Saah Kemayah and others over donated rice. According to the organization, these actions bring the number of former officials indicted by the Task Force to more than 50.
While describing the indictments as “laudable,” Miamen stressed that Liberia’s anti-corruption fight must go beyond investigations and charges.
“The fight against corruption becomes more meaningful when outcomes are accrued beyond indictments,” he said, emphasizing the need for speedy trials and clear judicial verdicts. CENTAL expressed concern over what it described as the slow pace of tangible results, particularly in the recovery of stolen public assets and the adjudication of corruption cases.
The organization also highlighted the importance of strengthening the mandate of the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce, which was renewed under Executive Order #161 by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in March 2026. Among its recommendations, CENTAL called for the establishment of a specialized anti-corruption court to fast-track cases, the removal of the statute of limitations on corruption offenses, and stronger collaboration with international partners to recover assets held abroad.
The group further urged the government to provide adequate funding and support to integrity institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), and the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC). CENTAL concluded by warning that failure to deliver justice and recover stolen assets could undermine public trust in governance.
“There can be no successful fight against corruption if institutions leading the process are not adequately supported,” Miamen added. The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce was established in 2024 to investigate and retrieve public resources allegedly misappropriated by current and former officials, as Liberia intensifies efforts to promote transparency and accountability in public service.
