Liberia: Supreme Court Decides Fate of Boakai’s Assets Recovery Taskforce Today

The Supreme Court is expected today to make a determination whether, to give President Joseph Boakai’s wish of guaranteeing that his Executive Order #126 establishing the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force is legitimate.

The President, in early 2024, issued an Executive Order, purposely to identify and recover corruptly acquired looted public resources by Liberian leaders, especially during the presidency of George Weah.

The enforcement of the Executive Order #126 was temporarily interrupted by the Supreme Court’s stay order.

The court’s action resulted, after the task force’s existence and legitimacy was challenged by former President Weah’s Chief of Protocol Madam Finda Bundoo owner of the controversial Gracious Ride Incorporated, a transport services provider.

Madam Finda Bundoo’s decision triggered when several of her vehicles were confiscated by the taskforce on the ground that it was as a result of stolen wealth.

The contention raised by Gracious Ride Incorporated, at that time, is that only, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has the statutory responsibility to seize and recover alleged stolen public assets, and not a presidentially appointed committee.

The taskforce had repeatedly argued that Gracious Ride management lacks the legal status and authority to bring such a petition before the Supreme Court.

They further argued that the issuance of Executive Order is a quasi- Legislative and judicial lawmaking authority and power granted to the President of Liberia by the 1986 Constitution, chapters 4 and 5 to eliminate the misuse of government resources and other corrupt practices.

The taskforce was established with the aim of enhancing credibility, accountability, and transparency in the governance process.

Similar argument raised by Gracious Ride against the Executive Order #126 was denied by a lower court, the Civil Law Court.

It is not clear whether the Supreme Court will affirm the lower court’s decision, although the high court placed a stay order on the task force’s existence and legitimacy.

The taskforce is tasked with developing a legal framework for the recovery of assets acquired unlawfully by current and former government officials.

The LACC was re-established by an act of legislation in 2022, with the mandate to look into and prosecute crimes of corruption and educate the public about the negative consequences of corruption and the advantages of its eradication.

It is cloth with a direct prosecution authority to pursue cases involving allegations or individuals charged with corruption.