MONROVIA — Former Foreign Affairs Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, former Internal Affairs Minister Varney A. Sirleaf and five other former government officials have reportedly been sentenced to 10 years in prison each in connection with the controversial Saudi-donated rice scandal.
The reported sentencing follows Criminal Court ‘C’s decision to uphold the jury’s guilty verdict against the defendants, bringing a major development in a case involving allegations of the diversion and mismanagement of humanitarian rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In addition to the prison sentences, the defendants have reportedly been ordered to restitute the monetary value of the rice involved in the case.
Others reportedly sentenced include former Deputy Internal Affairs Minister Momolu Johnson, former General Services Agency Deputy Director for Operations Edris Bility, former National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Director for Disaster Victims Augustine M. Kollie, and NDMA employee Edward S. Konneh.
The case centers on rice donated by Saudi Arabia to support disaster victims and vulnerable communities in Liberia. The alleged mishandling of the humanitarian assistance raised serious questions about the management of donated relief supplies and accountability among public officials.
The reported 10-year sentences mark a significant development in the prosecution of former officials accused of involvement in the controversial handling of the donated commodity.
However, details of the court’s full ruling, the individual sentences, the restitution amounts and whether the defendants intend to appeal remain unclear.
The development also raises broader questions about accountability in the management of humanitarian assistance and whether public officials entrusted with relief supplies can be held responsible when allegations of diversion are established in court.
