Former Foreign Affairs Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. has been remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison, commonly known as South Beach, following his appearance before Criminal Court “C” on serious corruption-related charges.
Kemayah, alongside Mary Broh, former Director General of the General Services Agency (GSA), and Henry O. Williams, former Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), is accused of misappropriating more than 25,000 bags of rice donated by the Saudi government for Liberia’s disaster victims.
The consignment, 29,412 bags of rice valued at US$425,918, was a humanitarian gift from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, intended to support vulnerable communities affected by floods, fire outbreaks, and other national emergencies. Instead, investigators say the rice was diverted for personal and political gain.
“They held secret meetings and distributed the rice without any documentation,” said Joseph Daniel, Communications Director of the Public Assets Recovery Taskforce, in an interview with OK FM’s Clarence Jackson. “This is just the beginning. More arrests are forthcoming.”
All three former officials now face multiple charges including:
Theft of Property Economic Sabotage Misuse of Public Office
Their transfer to South Beach Prison follows a court order issued during Tuesday’s proceedings, where they were formally charged and denied bail, pending further legal action.
Kemayah, who once represented Liberia on the global diplomatic stage, stood in stark contrast today as he was escorted by police and court sheriffs into the courtroom, avoiding reporters’ questions.
The scandal is part of a broader probe led by the Assets Recovery Team, which is investigating at least 17 related cases involving alleged corruption and misuse of international aid under the previous government.
As the case unfolds, public interest continues to surge, with many viewing this high-profile prosecution as a critical test of the Boakai administration’s vow to clamp down on impunity and restore public trust in government institutions.
