Several senior officials of Liberia’s Bureau of State Enterprise (BSE) have been formally indicted on multiple criminal charges, including economic sabotage, theft, misapplication of public property, and criminal conspiracy.
The indictment was handed down by the First Judicial Circuit Court in Montserrado County and is being prosecuted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
The defendants named in the case are former Director General Arthur Massaquoi, Comptroller Matthew F. Kotio, Kathinal Mitchell, Varlee F. Sanor, Isaac C. Kporkulah, Jessephine Yah Dahn, and Mohammed V. Fofana. They stand accused of misusing public funds, authorizing questionable payments, and facilitating contracts that allegedly provided personal financial benefits.
According to court documents, Massaquoi and Kotio allegedly approved payments exceeding USD 71,000 and LRD 3.8 million to staff and contractors without verifiable justification or evidence of work performed. Additional payments intended for vendors were reportedly diverted to individuals, amounting to USD 168,961 and LRD 8.4 million.
The indictment further cites irregular procurement practices involving Benefit Trading International, a company allegedly pre-selected for contracts to supply stationery and cleaning materials before the completion of the official bidding process. Invoices were reportedly issued under suspicious circumstances, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Prosecutors argue that the defendants engaged in fraud against Liberia’s internal revenue, illegally disbursed public funds, misused government resources for personal gain, and conspired to facilitate fraudulent financial activities.
The grand jury concluded that there was probable cause to believe the officials acted with criminal intent, violating Liberian law and undermining public trust in state institutions.
The case underscores ongoing challenges in Liberia’s fight against corruption, a persistent issue that has drawn scrutiny from both domestic and international observers.
