MONROVIA – “Three Hours In And Out of Central Prison” could be a fine title for a novel by any of those officials of the erstwhile Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) who were paraded in the City of Monrovia Thursday, June 26, 2025, taken to Central Prison like fellow partisans former Speaker Fonati Koffa and others, but released in three hours, leaving skeptics wonder why the UP administration chose to do so after all. But, at The Analyst reports, the agency of the government that whisked up the former government officials in the morning hours before later releasing them under three hours, saying they had to do so with “human sureties”.
Early Thursday morning June 26, 2025, the government of Liberia with petition filed to the Criminal Court “C” by the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT) arrested a number of past current government officials over allegations of corruption but they were later released on “human sureties”.
Those arrested and incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah were: Thelma Sawyer, former Deputy Foreign Minister for Administration; former General Service Agency (GSA) Director Mary T. Broh; former National Disasters Management Agency (NDMA) Henry Williams; Archievego M. Doe, Communications Director National Disasters Management Agency. They were brought before Criminal Court “C” in connection with an ongoing investigation into the alleged mismanagement.
Following the arrests, the former officials of government were taken to the Monrovia Central Prison where they spent over 3 hours but later released to their lawyers.
The Analyst could not immediately determine what informed the government’s haste after all, for dragging the former officials to prison, and similar haste in releasing them.
The arrest of the former officials of government followed supposed investigation by the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force into the alleged illegal handling and diversion of 29,412 bags of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2023.
The total quantity of rice in question was 29,412 bags of rice valued at US$425,928. The rice donation was made in April 2023 by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KS-Relief).
Out of the 29,412, bags of rice, according to the indictment from the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT), 25,054 bags of rice, valued at approximately USD $425,918, were unlawfully diverted by the accused to unverified use.
The state lawyers’ forty count indictment, according to our Judicial Correspondent, accused the defendants of collectively causing the government of Liberia to sustain the loss of twenty-five 25,054 bags of rice valued over US$500,000.
Despite their incarceration of six former ex-officials, Court officers said that more defendants are on the run in connection to their alleged stealing of the rice.
Their charges ranged from theft of property, economic sabotage, misapplication of entrusted property, abuse of public offices, and criminal facilitation, among others.
Following a legal negotiation between the defendants’ lawyers and State Prosecutor, former Foreign Minister Maxwell Kemayah, Mary Broh, Thelma Duncan Sawyer, and others were released from the Monrovia Central Prison on human sureties.
The charges against them are billable, legal sources said.
In court proceedings, a surety is someone who guarantees the accused will comply with bail conditions and appear in court.
If the accused fails to meet these obligations, the surety risks financial penalties or loss of assets.
On the scene at the ground of the Monrovia Central Prison in attendance were Eugene Nagbe, Dew Mason, Deputy Foreign Minister Ibrahim Nyei to show solidarities with those released.
A fortnight ago, nearly half dozen lawmakers, all of them stalwarts of the CDC, were invited to police headquarters, held there for hours and during late afternoon hours charged by government of arson – for allegedly burning of the Capitol Building – and bundled up to Central Prison since they couldn’t obtain immediate bail on the weekend.
In a release, the Government of Liberia, through the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice announced it had secured a major indictment against several former and current government officials and employees.
This action follows a detailed investigation into the illegal handling and diversion of 29,412 bags of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2023, the release noted, adding that “the rice was intended to support disaster victims and vulnerable communities across Liberia”.
The said the following in the release, quote:
Indicted Individuals Include:
Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah – Former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mary Broh – Former Director General, General Services Agency (GSA)
Varney A. Sirleaf – Former Minister of Internal Affairs
Thelma Sawyer – Former Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs/Administration
Henry O. Williams – Former Executive Director, National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA)
Augustine Tamba – Deputy Director for Operations, NDMA
Augustine M. Kollie – Director for Disaster Victims, NDMA
Edward S. Konneh – Employee, NDMA
Archievego M. Doe – Communications Director, NDMA
Edris Bility – Former Deputy Director for Operations, GSA
Mamie Davies – Assistant Director, GSA
Momolu Johnson – Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs/Administration
Rosetta L. Gbassay Bowah – Logistics Officer, NDMA
Wayfa Ciapha – Purported CEO, Group of 77
Evelyn Gbee – Warehouse Manager, GSA
Our investigation revealed that 25,054 bags of rice, valued at approximately USD $425,918, were unlawfully diverted by the accused. Instead of reaching the intended disaster victims, the rice was stolen through secret and unauthorized meetings, usurpation of NDMA’s statutory authority and removal and distribution of rice without documentation or legal process.
Some suspects have admitted to their roles, confirming a coordinated internal conspiracy and severe abuse of public trust.
Crimes Charged Include:
Theft of Property
Economic Sabotage
Misapplication of Entrusted Property
Abuse of Office
Criminal Conspiracy
These crimes for which they were indicted under Liberian law constitute a grave breach of public trust and accountability.
This scandal has inflicted significant damage:
Disaster victims were denied critical food assistance, Saudi Arabia’s generous donation was misused, international trust was undermined, and public confidence in government institutions was further weakened.
This indictment is the first of three investigations completed out of 30 active cases currently under investigation by AREPT. Additional indictments are expected in July. In line with legal procedures, the Government has also issued a NE EXEAT REPUBLICA (travel restriction) to ensure that none of the accused flee the country during prosecution.
Under the leadership of Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, AREPT reaffirms its commitment to investigating, recovering, and prosecuting all instances of public asset theft. This indictment sends a clear message that corruption will not go unpunished. The Taskforce remains fully engaged with national and international partners to restore public trust and ensure that public resources serve the Liberian people.
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