By G. Watson Richards
The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) has welcomed a ruling by the Supreme Court of Liberia rejecting an attempt to halt criminal proceedings in a high-profile corruption case involving alleged misuse of public funds.
The decision, delivered in Chambers by Associate Justice Yussif D. Kaba, denied a petition seeking a writ of prohibition to prevent the trial court from continuing the case.
The petition was filed by John S. Youboty, Chief Executive Officer of MDMC (Expressed Inc.), and Joseph C. Goodridge, the company’s Project Manager.
The case centers on a government renovation project at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Prosecutors allege that the defendants received approximately US$1.95 million for the work but completed renovations valued at about US$1.09 million, roughly 56 percent of the contract. Authorities claim the remaining US$851,000-plus was misapplied or diverted.
In their petition, the defendants argued that the dispute was contractual rather than criminal and maintained that they could not be held personally liable for actions attributed to a corporate entity. They sought to stop the trial court from proceeding with the case.
Justice Kaba, however, rejected the application, ruling that it was premature and lacked merit.
He emphasized that questions of criminal liability and the assessment of evidence fall within the jurisdiction of the trial court, not a writ of prohibition. The Court subsequently ordered the lower court to resume jurisdiction and proceed in line with the law.
AREPT noted that while such legal challenges are a normal part of judicial proceedings, they do not change the substance of the allegations.
The Taskforce stressed that the trial court remains the proper venue for determining guilt or innocence based on a full examination of the evidence.
The Taskforce also reaffirmed its commitment to accountability, assuring the public that it will continue working with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that cases involving alleged misuse of public resources are prosecuted in accordance with due process.
With the Supreme Court’s ruling, the case now returns to the trial court for continuation.
AREPT maintains that its mandate, to investigate, support prosecutions, and recover public assets,
remains firmly in place as the judicial process unfolds.
