- The suspended head of Liberia's state oil company, Rustonlyn Suakoko Dennis, has been indicted along with two others for allegedly orchestrating a US$75,000 vehicle fraud scheme that diverted public funds and falsified government records.
A grand jury for Montserrado County indicted Dennis, the former CEO of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), along with the company's comptroller, Richmond Jallah, and Edmond Massaquoi, an IT technician at the Ministry of Transport. The three face multiple felony charges, including economic sabotage, fraud on the internal revenue, criminal conspiracy, facilitation, attempted crimes, and violations of public procurement and financial management laws.
Prosecutors allege the trio abused their official roles to manipulate a government vehicle procurement process, converting public property for personal use and using falsified documents to hide their actions.
The case involves a purchase order dated October 29, 2024, in which NOCAL's procurement officer, Yekeh Gayflor, and Vice President of Finance, Emmanuel Azango, approved the purchase of a single 7-seater SUV for $75,000 from Cactus Motors for the official use of the NOCAL CEO. NOCAL's finance department issued a check for the full amount on November 1, 2024.
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However, prosecutors say Dennis and Jallah conspired to alter the transaction by creating a second, unauthorized purchase order using the same contract number (NOCAL/RB/002/2024). This time, the order listed two vehicles--an MG ONE valued at US$33,000 and an MG RX8 valued at US$42,000--totaling the original US$75,000. The revised documents were allegedly made without the approval of the procurement team and were used as the basis for diverting both vehicles for personal use.
The MG ONE, prosecutors say, was delivered to Dennis through Jallah, bypassing all official procurement channels. It was later registered with the Ministry of Transport under false ownership, with license plates and documents linking it to a private entity, the TANTI Group of Companies, located in the Zayzay Community in Paynesville. Court filings allege Dennis herself was listed as the vehicle's owner.
The second vehicle, the MG RX8, was also handed over to Dennis after Jallah signed for its delivery on December 18, 2024. It, too, was never processed through NOCAL's procurement office. Both vehicles were purchased in NOCAL's name but were allegedly repurposed for Dennis's private benefit.
Further investigation revealed that Massaquoi, working in the IT Division of the Ministry of Transport, played a key role in falsifying registration records. On at least two occasions--November 21, 2024, and again on January 28, 2025--he allegedly altered the vehicles' official registration data, including their VINs and ownership status. Prosecutors say that at one point, the VIN of the MG ONE was changed to that of a Toyota Tacoma, while keeping the same license plate, in an apparent attempt to erase the vehicle's NOCAL-linked history.
Beyond the vehicle scheme, the indictment describes broader procurement violations linked to Dennis's time in office. In July 2024, NOCAL began a contract with West Africa Geo-Services for offshore geological mapping. Prosecutors say Dennis manipulated internal procedures and bypassed necessary approvals, including those required by the Public Procurement and Concessions Act (PPCC), to carry out the deal on terms favorable to preferred vendors.
The charges against the three defendants cover key sections of Liberia's Penal Code, including Section 15.80 (economic sabotage), Section 15.81 (misuse of public funds), Section 15.82 (theft and illegal disbursement), Section 15.8 (fraud on internal revenue), and Sections 10.1, 10.3, and 10.4 for criminal attempt, facilitation, and conspiracy, respectively. The indictment states that the defendants "have no affirmative defense" for their actions.
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Dennis, Jallah, and Massaquoi have posted a $255,000 bond backed by Brighter Day School, Inc., and remain under the court's jurisdiction. They are expected to face trial in the upcoming term of Criminal Court "C" at the Temple of Justice.
The high-profile case has reignited calls for transparency and reforms in Liberia's state-owned enterprises, especially NOCAL, which has long been scrutinized for financial mismanagement and lack of transparency. Civil society groups are pushing for stricter enforcement of procurement rules and real-time monitoring of public spending.
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, which referred the case for prosecution, called the indictment a "significant breakthrough" in its fight against official misconduct. Although court proceedings have not yet started, the case has already captured the public's attention and sparked questions about oversight in Liberia's petroleum sector.
