Liberia: Judge Nullifies Bond in Saudi Rice Case, Six Defendants Face Jail As Insurer's Solvency Questioned

Monrovia — Six of eleven defendants indicted in the Saudi rice aid scandal may be headed back to jail after a judge questioned the legitimacy of their bond filed by Sky International Insurance Company, whose total financial commitments appear to far exceed its reported assets.

The defendants--Henry O. Williams, Augustine Kollie, Archievego M. Doe, Rosetta L. Gbassay Bowah, Evelyn Gbee, and Memie Davis--were covered by an $851,900 bond secured through Sky International. However, a recent ruling by Criminal Court "C" has cast doubt on the bond after shocking revelations about the insurer's financial status.

During a hearing on the prosecution's challenge to the adequacy of the bond, it was revealed that Sky International Insurance Company has a total asset base of only US$1,271,569 as of December 31, 2024. However, according to a certificate from Criminal Court 'A', the company has already posted bonds totaling US$11,491,864 across various cases, well above its declared assets.

This discrepancy drew the attention of Judge Joe S. Barkon, who ordered an immediate investigation into the insurer's solvency.

"If it is proven that Sky International has a total asset of US$1.2 million but is currently exposed to over US$11.4 million in bond obligations, that raises serious concerns," Judge Barkon said in open court. "It puts the company in a position of financial insufficiency, possibly on the verge of bankruptcy if required to honor those commitments."

The court has instructed its clerk to formally request that Sky International submit a comprehensive report within ten days. The report must include all criminal and civil cases where the company has served as surety, along with the status of those obligations.

Pending that submission and further investigation, Judge Barkon ruled that the bond filed by the six defendants is "hereby denied and set aside," allowing the prosecution to move forward with the case on its merits.

The broader case involves the alleged misappropriation of over 25,000 bags of rice donated by the Saudi government, valued at more than US$425,000. In 2024, the Government of Liberia indicted eleven individuals related to the scandal, including former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Varney A. Sirleaf, Thelma Sawyer, Edris Bility, and Momolu Massaquoi.

All face multiple charges, including economic sabotage, theft of property, misuse of public funds, illegal disbursement, misapplication of entrusted property, abuse of office, and criminal conspiracy.

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.