Chief of Protocol Turned Chief Defendant, Bundoo, Daughter, and 40 Others Indicted By Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce
Liberia’s ongoing anti-corruption drive has reached a defining moment as the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) unveils a series of indictments targeting former officials and business figures accused of large-scale financial crimes.
At the center of the sweeping crackdown stands former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoo, now accused of amassing unexplained wealth between 2020 and 2023, including over US$6.7 million and L$457 million in cash, vehicles, and real estate. According to AREPT’s findings, Bundoo’s companies, Gracious Ride and Anita Group of Companies, allegedly operated as fronts to conceal and launder public funds.
Bundoo, her daughter Pamela Anita Jallah, and more than 40 co-defendants have been charged with money laundering, theft of property, economic sabotage, abuse of office, criminal conspiracy, and violations of the Public Financial Management and Procurement Acts. The indictments come on the heels of a Supreme Court ruling in February that lifted a nine-month stay order which had previously stalled AREPT’s investigations.
AREPT Chairman’s Statement to the Press
Speaking at a press briefing, Cllr. Edward Kla Martin, Chairman of AREPT, described the development as “a clear statement of Liberia’s determination to hold accountable anyone who abuses public trust, no matter their position or connections.”
He detailed that two major investigations, the Gracious Ride/Anita Group case and the MDMC/MOFA case, have culminated in full indictments following months of evidence gathering.
The Bundoo Case: A Pattern of Hidden Wealth
According to investigators, Bundoo’s financial history showed no trace of significant assets prior to her appointment as Chief of Protocol. Yet within three years in office, she reportedly acquired multiple high-value properties and vehicles.
Evidence presented by AREPT includes:
Three properties located in Brewerville, Margibi County, and Paynesville, worth over US$330,000 combined. The purchase of 42 Suzuki vehicles from GBK Motors through Gracious Ride, valued at approximately US$424,000. Bank records reflecting transactions and acquisitions totaling more than US$6.7 million and L$845 million from 2020 to 2023.
Martin said the pattern revealed “a deliberate attempt to disguise illicit gains through corporate channels,” stressing that AREPT’s investigation was guided solely by evidence and due process.
The MDMC/MOFA Indictment
In a related development, former Deputy Foreign Minister Thelma Duncan Sawyer and MDMC Express Incorporated CEO John S. Youboty have been indicted for theft of property and criminal facilitation.
According to AREPT’s findings, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Sawyer’s leadership paid US$1.9 million to MDMC for renovation works, representing 100% of the contract value, yet only 56% of the work was completed.
The funds originated from a US$2.5 million donation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, intended for building renovations and humanitarian relief.
Independent appraisals confirmed that nearly US$851,000 worth of contracted work was never executed, and the company allegedly failed to deliver on vehicle supplies under the same deal.
More Cases Underway
Chairman Martin revealed that AREPT is currently investigating over 40 additional corruption cases, including the theft of Saudi-donated rice meant for disaster victims, a case that has already led to 15 indictments earlier this year.
He emphasized that the Taskforce’s mandate is not political but patriotic:
“We follow the evidence, and wherever it leads, we go. Justice is not instant, it is built step by step through careful, lawful work. No public official or private citizen is beyond accountability.”
A New Chapter in Accountability
Martin concluded by declaring that the latest indictments mark a turning point in Liberia’s anti-graft fight:
“Today’s actions send a clear message, those who misuse public resources will face the full weight of the law. Those who serve with honesty will be protected. And to those who still believe they are untouchable, the law will find you.”
With multiple cases now before the court, AREPT says Liberia is reclaiming what corruption has stolen, “one indictment at a time.”
