Liberia: Court Drops Saudi Rice Charges Against Mary Broh, Returns Bond

MONROVIA — Mary Broh will not stand trial over the alleged diversion of Saudi-donated rice, after Criminal Court 'C' granted a prosecution application to drop all charges against the former General Services Agency director-general and ordered her criminal appearance bond returned.

Assigned Circuit Judge Ousman F. Feika, ruling Aug. 11 during the court's closing chambers session, found that the prosecution's application for nolle prosequi in Broh's favor fell within its authority under Chapter 18, Section 18.1 of the Criminal Procedure Law. He granted the application, directed the clerk of court to return Broh's bond or its value, and ordered her removed as a co-defendant. The prosecution had entered the application on July 3, 2025, according to the ruling.

The same ruling sent the case to trial on its merits against the remaining defendants, with proceedings set for Monday, Aug. 17, at 9 a.m. Feika found no remaining factual or legal issue standing in the way.

The prosecution, brought by the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice and the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force, charges theft of property, economic sabotage, misuse of public money, property or records, theft or illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money, misapplication of entrusted property, abuse of office and criminal conspiracy.

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Those still facing the charges include former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, former Internal Affairs Minister Varney A. Sirleaf, former Deputy Foreign Minister for Administration Thelma Sawyer, former Deputy Internal Affairs Minister for Administration Momolu Johnson, National Disaster Management Agency officials Augustine Tamba, Augustine Kollie, Henry O. Williams, Edward S. Konneh and Archievego M. Doe, former GSA Deputy Director for Operations Edris Bility, GSA Assistant Director Mamie Davies, Wayfa Giapha and warehouse manager Evelyn Gbee.

Prosecutors used the Aug. 11 session to hand over discovery, submitting exhibits numbered 1 through 90 for examination and marking. Defense lawyers objected that some documents were illegible. Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull said a prosecution exhibit containing a statement signed by Broh was not clear enough, and the court directed prosecutors to provide better copies. Cllr. Sayma Syrnius Cephus told the court the grand jury transcript had not been included in the materials, and Feika ordered the prosecution to produce it, which it then did. Prosecutors asked for time to replace the unclear documents, and the court granted the request and briefly recessed.

Feika also ruled on the prosecution's motion to amend the indictment, saying the record showed prosecutors had used their authority under Chapter 14, Section 14.7 of the Criminal Procedure Law to secure an amended indictment from the Montserrado County grand jury. Because copies had been served on the defendants through their lawyers, he ordered the amendment incorporated into the case record.

The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless the prosecution proves the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

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