Criminal Court “C” Judge Ousman F. Feika has ordered the Clerk of Criminal Court “A” to produce records linked to the Saudi Arabian-donated rice at the ongoing trial of several former government officials and other defendants.
Judge Feika issued the order on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, during the 26th day of jury sitting in the August Term of Court.
The case was filed by the Republic of Liberia through the Ministry of Justice and the Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force. The defendants face charges including theft of property, economic sabotage, misuse and illegal disbursement of public money, misapplication of entrusted property, abuse of office and criminal conspiracy.
Wednesday’s hearing focused mainly on records requested from the General Services Agency (GSA), the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and the Ministry of Local Government, formerly the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
GSA Director General Galakpah W. Kortima told the court that after taking over the agency in 2024, he was subpoenaed to produce records related to the case.
Kortima said most of the records had already been turned over to Criminal Court “A,” either as originals or photocopies.
“With the exception of those two documents other documents mentioned in the subpoena were all submitted to the Circuit Court both in originals and photocopies, those that we found,” he testified.
The prosecution then asked Kortima to turn over the documents he brought to court. The defense objected, but Judge Feika overruled the objection and ordered the witness to submit the records.
Prosecutors also requested additional records from Criminal Court “A” concerning the Saudi rice.
Defense lawyers objected, arguing that some of the requested documents were not covered by the earlier subpoena. One defense lawyer further accused the GSA witness of giving the court “false and misleading information” about the records.
Judge Feika rejected the objection and ordered the Clerk of Criminal Court “A” to produce the requested documents on Monday, September 14.
“The Clerk of this Court is accordingly ordered to issue Writ of Subpoena Duces Tecum and Ad Testificandum on the Clerk of the First Judicial Circuit Criminal Court ‘A’ to produce documents indicated in the scope of the subpoena issue on the GSA to this court on Monday, September 14, 2026 at the hour of 10:00AM,” the judge ruled.
The court also heard from Atty. Ellen Ziah-Nimely, legal counsel for the NDMA, who testified that the agency searched its records but could not find most of the original documents requested.
Ziah-Nimely said the NDMA had informed the court on August 31 that only one of the requested originals had been found after a search of its records. The document was an April 4, 2023 letter signed by former NDMA Executive Director Henry O. Williams.
The prosecution later asked the court to admit photocopies of the missing documents into evidence.
The defense objected, arguing that the subpoenas required the original records.
Judge Feika overruled the objection after Ziah-Nimely told the court that the originals could not be found. The photocopies were admitted and marked P/7-in-bulk, consisting of 11 sheets.
During cross-examination, defense lawyers questioned Ziah-Nimely about the missing originals and the photocopies presented in court.
The court later heard testimony from Cllr. Losene Bility, Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs and Traditional Marriages at the Ministry of Local Government.
Bility said the ministry received the subpoenas and turned over the records available to it to the Clerk of Court.
“To this question, we received the two subpoenas and we produce the available record to the Clerk of Court before today’s sitting,” Bility testified.
He explained that the ministry normally sends original official communications to the institution receiving them while keeping copies for its own records.
“At the local government, formally Internal Affairs, when the Ministry or the Minster writes, he sends the original to the receiving institution and keeps his copy on record,” Bility said.
At the close of the hearing, prosecutors asked for more time to continue presenting their case.
Defense lawyers raised concerns about the defendants’ right to a speedy trial but did not oppose the request for additional time.
Judge Feika granted the request and adjourned the case to Monday, September 14, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
The charges against the defendants remain allegations. They are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
