Former Executive Mansion Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundoo has filed a third criminal appearance bond in an effort to secure her release from detention after two previous bail applications were rejected by Criminal Court ‘C’.
The latest bond, valued at US$8 million, is backed by two insurance companies instead of property sureties, marking a new strategy by the defense to meet the court’s bail conditions.
Court documents obtained by Verity News show that the American Underwriter Group is guaranteeing US$2 million, while ACICO Insurance Company is underwriting the remaining US$6 million.
The filing is Bundoo’s third attempt to satisfy the bail requirements in the corruption and asset recovery case brought by the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force (AREPT) and the Ministry of Justice.
Her first bond was challenged by prosecutors, who argued that the proposed sureties and pledged properties did not meet the legal standards required for a criminal appearance bond. After hearing arguments from both sides, Resident Judge Ousman F. Feika rejected the application and gave the defense 72 hours to submit a replacement.
The defense later returned with a second bond supported by property valuations. Prosecutors again objected, contending that one of the properties had already been pledged in several other court cases and carried financial obligations that exceeded its declared value.
Judge Feika agreed with the prosecution, ruling that the property could not legally support the bond because it was already heavily encumbered. The court also found that the total value of the proposed security was insufficient considering the gravity of the charges.
The judge subsequently denied the second bond application, set Bundoo’s bail at US$8 million, and ordered that she remain in custody until an acceptable criminal appearance bond is approved.
In response, Bundoo’s legal team has now submitted a third bond package based entirely on insurance guarantees.
The filing states that the American Underwriter Group has assumed liability for US$2 million, while ACICO Insurance Company is guaranteeing the remaining US$6 million, bringing the total to the amount ordered by the court.
The bond will now be reviewed by Criminal Court “C” to determine whether it complies with Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law and whether the two insurance companies have the legal and financial capacity to stand as guarantors.
Prosecutors representing AREPT and the Ministry of Justice are also expected to examine the bond before the court decides whether it should be accepted.
Bundoo, who served as Chief of Protocol during the administration of former President George Weah, is among several defendants charged with offenses including money laundering, theft of property, misuse of public funds, criminal conspiracy, forgery, and criminal facilitation.
She has denied all the allegations. The case remains before Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temple of Justice.
