The Asset Recovery Task Force says it is working closely with Interpol and other international partners to ensure the arrest of several individuals indicted in the ongoing asset recovery investigation, including former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bondo.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at the Ministry of Information regular press briefing, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, head of Liberia's Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT), revealed that since Criminal Court "C" issued arrest and search warrants for Bondo and several associates, they remain at large.
"Lawful mechanisms have been activated for their arrest and prosecution," Cllr. Martin said, adding that most defendants in the case have already been served with indictments and arrest warrants. He noted that Nora Finda Bondo, the CEO of a media group, and an employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are still evading authorities.
Cllr. Martin said the Task Force is leveraging international partnerships to ensure that all individuals are subjected to court proceedings in accordance with the law.
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Following his inauguration in January 2024, President Boakai established the Asset Recovery Task Force to identify, investigate, and recover public assets allegedly misused or unlawfully retained by former officials and private individuals.
By mid-2024, the Task Force launched investigations into several asset-related matters, including the procurement and distribution of luxury vehicles popularly referred to as the "Gracious Ride" vehicles, reportedly acquired with public funds during the previous administration.
Late in 2024, investigators found that several vehicles were not properly documented, returned, or accounted for after the government transition, with some allegedly retained by former officials and third parties without authorization.
In December 2024, the Task Force submitted its report to the Ministry of Justice, recommending indictments and recovery of the vehicles as state property.
In January 2025, a grand jury sitting in Montserrado County returned indictments against several individuals, including former officials and private sector actors, on charges linked to the misuse of public assets.
In early November 2025, Criminal Court "C" Judge Ousman F. Feika authorized arrest and search warrants for Bondo and associates, including Francis T. Blamo, Manager of Gracious, but despite the warrants, several key figures, including Bondo, remained at large.
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However, he says the investigation and subsequent legal actions are part of the government's broader asset recovery agenda and are being pursued in line with due process and the rule of law. "All accused persons remain presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction."
Reflecting on 2025, Cllr. Martin highlighted key achievements in international engagement and criminal investigations. He noted that the Task Force has established working relationships with UK-based institutions, including Grand TomTom, specializing in corruption investigations amongst other legal firms, to ensure legal processes involving individuals in Britain are filed and coordinated appropriately.
"The Government assures the Liberian people that appropriate mechanisms and lawful procedures have been activated to ensure accountability," the Task Force said in its statement, reaffirming its independence under Executive Order Number 145 and commitment to transparency, the rule of law, and recovery of public assets. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.
