By Staff Writer | Smart News Liberia
MONROVIA – The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has welcomed the latest indictments issued by the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), but is urging the government to move beyond legal actions and deliver tangible outcomes in the fight against corruption.
Speaking at a press conference in Sinkor on Thursday, April 16, CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen praised the Taskforce for taking bold steps to hold former public officials accountable, while cautioning that indictments alone will not satisfy public expectations.
Miamen noted that the Taskforce, headed by Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, has gained renewed momentum following the extension of its mandate by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai through Executive Order #161 on March 4, 2026. The extension marked the second renewal since the body was first established in March 2024.
He acknowledged that the Taskforce initially faced legal and operational challenges that affected its efficiency, but said it has since stabilized and is now in a stronger position to deliver results for the Liberian people.
The latest wave of indictments targets former Commerce Minister Mawine Diggs and several officials of the former Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) government over allegations involving the diversion of approximately US$1.8 million meant for a rural women empowerment program.
Other individuals named in the indictment include former government and institutional officials accused of playing roles in the alleged financial misconduct. Authorities say the charges are backed by credible evidence and due process.
These developments follow earlier high-profile indictments, including the November 2025 case involving former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundor and over 40 others linked to a US$6.7 million corruption scheme, as well as the June 2025 indictment of former Foreign Minister D. Maxwell Saah Kemanya and others over the controversial handling of donated rice.
With more than 50 former officials now indicted, Miamen described the Taskforce’s actions as “laudable,” but stressed that meaningful progress must be measured by outcomes rather than the number of cases announced.
“The fight against corruption becomes more meaningful when outcomes are accrued beyond indictments,” Miamen said. “When people are accused and indicted, the state must ensure that trials are speedy and justice is dispensed through clear verdicts whether guilty or not guilty.”
He warned that Liberians are increasingly frustrated by the slow pace of adjudication and the limited recovery of stolen assets, noting that prolonged delays undermine public confidence in the justice system.
According to him, the true success of the Taskforce lies in its ability to recover stolen public resources both within Liberia and abroad, not merely in bringing charges against accused individuals.
CENTAL also called for the establishment of a specialized anti-corruption court to fast-track cases, arguing that such a mechanism would significantly improve the efficiency and credibility of the justice process.
Additionally, the organization urged the government to remove the five-year statute of limitations on corruption offenses, which it believes hampers efforts to fully investigate and prosecute long-standing cases of financial misconduct.
Miamen further emphasized the need for the judiciary to prioritize corruption cases and for the government to adequately fund key integrity institutions, including the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), the General Auditing Commission (GAC), and the Taskforce itself.
“There can be no successful fight against corruption if institutions leading the process are not adequately supported,” he said, stressing that sustained financial, logistical, and moral backing is critical to safeguarding public resources.
