Monrovia — Former Executive Mansion Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoo has suffered a legal setback after a Justice in Chambers at the Supreme Court declined to halt proceedings in her criminal case, effectively clearing the way for Criminal Court "C" to resume jurisdiction over the matter and determine the validity of her latest US$8 million criminal appearance bond.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, August 4, Associate Justice Yussif D. Kaba, presiding in Chambers, declined to issue the alternative writ of prohibition sought by Bundoo's legal team, which had asked the Supreme Court to prevent Criminal Court "C" Judge Ousman F. Feika from proceeding with the case following her detention over what prosecutors described as a defective criminal appearance bond.
Justice Kaba instead instructed Judge Feika to resume jurisdiction and proceed in accordance with the law, a decision that legal observers say effectively leaves intact the lower court's earlier actions in setting aside Bundoo's previous bond and ordering her detention at the Monrovia Central Prison.
The ruling represents a procedural victory for the prosecution and comes at a critical stage in the high-profile corruption case, which has been dominated by repeated disputes over the legality of Bundoo's bail rather than the substance of the criminal allegations against her.
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Discover moreOpinion & CommentaryNewsCampaigns & Elections The Supreme Court's decision also places renewed focus on Bundoo's legal status, with attention now returning to Criminal Court "C", where Judge Ousman Feika is expected to determine whether her newly filed criminal appearance bond satisfies the requirements of Liberian law. Should the latest bond fail judicial scrutiny, legal analysts say the former presidential aide could again face detention pending trial.
The decision comes only a day after Bundoo filed her third criminal appearance bond, valued at US$8 million, in another attempt to secure her release after her first two bonds were rejected for alleged legal deficiencies.
The latest insurance-backed bond, filed on Monday, August 3, is underwritten by American Underwriters Group, which provided US$2 million, and ACICO Insurance Company, which guaranteed the remaining US$6 million, bringing the total to the amount required by the court.
The third filing followed objections by prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice and lawyers representing the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce, who argued that Bundoo's earlier bonds failed to meet the legal standards governing criminal appearance bonds.
According to court records, state prosecutors maintained that the previous sureties and property-backed guarantees were legally defective and therefore incapable of adequately securing Bundoo's appearance throughout the criminal proceedings.
Judge Feika agreed with those objections, setting aside the earlier bonds and ordering Bundoo's detention, a decision her lawyers attempted to overturn through a petition for a writ of prohibition before the Supreme Court.
Justice Kaba's refusal to issue the writ now allows Criminal Court "C" to continue exercising jurisdiction over the matter without further interruption.
Bundoo has been indicted on multiple criminal charges arising from an alleged corruption scheme linked to her tenure at the Executive Mansion. The indictment includes allegations of economic sabotage, money laundering, theft of property, forgery, criminal conspiracy, misuse of public money, and abuse of office. She has consistently denied all wrongdoing.
Since her indictment, the case has evolved into one of Liberia's most closely watched corruption prosecutions, with courtroom proceedings largely consumed by litigation over the validity of her appearance bonds instead of the underlying criminal charges.
Prosecutors have repeatedly argued that strict compliance with Liberia's bail laws is particularly important in financial crimes involving millions of dollars in alleged public losses, insisting that criminal appearance bonds must fully satisfy statutory requirements before a defendant can be admitted to bail.
The defense, meanwhile, has maintained that Bundoo is constitutionally entitled to bail and has argued that each revised bond was specifically prepared to address concerns raised by the prosecution and the court.
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The prolonged legal battle has delayed the commencement of the substantive trial, leaving the court to first resolve whether the defendant has fulfilled all legal conditions necessary for pretrial release.
The case has attracted attention as part of the Boakai administration's broader anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted several former public officials accused of misappropriating government resources.
With the Supreme Court declining to intervene, the spotlight now shifts back to Criminal Court "C", where Judge Feika is expected to determine whether Bundoo's third US$8 million insurance-backed bond complies with Liberia's insurance and criminal procedure laws.
That ruling could determine whether the former Chief of Protocol remains at liberty pending trial or is once again ordered into custody as one of Liberia's highest-profile corruption cases moves closer to substantive proceedings.
