Criminal Appearance Bonds Filed In High-Profile Corruption Case

Legal proceedings are unfolding in one of Liberia’s most high-profile corruption cases involving former and current public officials, including former Foreign Affairs Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. The case centers on the alleged misappropriation of humanitarian aid and has brought the legal and insurance bond systems under heightened public scrutiny. Earlier this year, the Grand Jury for Montserrado County indicted twelve individuals on multiple criminal charges, including theft of property, economic sabotage, and criminal conspiracy. Central to the case is the alleged theft of 25,054 bags of rice valued at approximately USD $425,918.00 donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to support disaster victims in Liberia. The indicted individuals include prominent former officials such as Mary T. Broh, former Director General of the General Services Agency; Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr., former Minister of Foreign Affairs; Thelma E. Duncan Sawyer, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Henry O. Williams, former Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), among others. Following their arrest in June 2025, the accused were initially remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison. However, they were granted temporary release under the condition that they post valid Criminal Appearance Bonds by July 4, 2025. These bonds are legally required to guarantee that the defendants will appear in court for trial. Two insurance companies filed the required criminal appearance bonds: American Underwriter Group, Inc. (AUG) posted a bond of USD $851,840.00 on behalf of Mary Broh, Dee-Maxwell Kemayah, Thelma Sawyer, Edris Bility, Momolu Johnson, and Varney Sirleaf; Sky International Insurance Company submitted a bond valued at USD $851,900.00 for Henry O. Williams, Augustine Kollie, Archievego Doe, Rosetta Gbassay Bowah, Evelyn Gbee, and Mamie Davis. On July 2, 2025, the Prosecution, through the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force, filed a Seven-Count Exception to challenge the validity of both sets of bonds. The prosecution raised serious concerns about the financial capacity of Sky International Insurance Company, stating: The company had issued bonds exceeding USD $11.4 million, far above its declared asset base of USD $1.27 million; It failed to provide recent bank statements or evidence of unencumbered assets as proof of its ability to guarantee the bonds. In contrast, while the American Underwriter Group was noted to have a stronger financial footing with an asset base of USD $4.05 million, questions about its capacity were raised but not as critically as those against Sky International. Defense lawyers for the accused responded by filing motions to justify the sufficiency of the appearance bonds. Their arguments were as follows: A Criminal Appearance Bond is solely to ensure the presence of defendants at trial and does not equate to an obligation for restitution or indemnification; There is no requirement under Liberian law for insurers to present bank statements. Instead, the law requires audited financial statements and a certification from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL); American Underwriter Group met all legal requirements, including submitting the CBL’s Letter of Certification confirming adequate asset coverage; The law imposes no cap on the number of bonds an insurance company can issue. After reviewing the legal arguments, Judge Joe S. Barkon issued a mixed ruling on the matter: American Underwriter Group’s bond was upheld. The court found that AUG met all legal standards, particularly referencing precedents set in Reeves vs. Quiah and IBLL vs. SRR Marketing. The CBL certification satisfied the necessary requirements; Sky International Insurance Company’s bond was provisionally accepted. The court ruled that while the bond would remain valid for now, Sky International must, within ten (10) days, submit a detailed report outlining: All active bonds the company has underwritten; the status of all associated criminal or civil cases. The Prosecution has signaled its intention to reserve the right to appeal, indicating that further legal review of the sureties could be forthcoming. As it stands, all twelve defendants remain out of prison, pending the upcoming trial proceedings. Legal observers believe the case could become a significant benchmark in Liberia’s ongoing anti-corruption efforts and a test of judicial independence and transparency. The public and the international community are closely monitoring the outcome, given the gravity of the charges and the reputations of those involved. The proceedings promise to have broad implications for the country’s justice system and its credibility in enforcing accountability at the highest levels of government.