MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The prosecution’s case involving 29,412 bags of Saudi-donated rice took another turn at Criminal Court “C” after an NDMA county coordinator testified that a reported 5,000-bag shipment never reached the agency’s regional hub in Gbarnga.
The witness told the court that during the period under review, the largest quantity of rice he personally received was 280 bags. According to his testimony, the rice that came into his custody was distributed to communities affected by disasters.
His testimony is central to the prosecution’s effort to establish what happened to portions of the Saudi-donated rice after it entered Liberia and was expected to be distributed to intended beneficiaries.
The case concerns a total of 29,412 bags of rice donated by Saudi Arabia. Prosecutors allege that more than 25,000 bags were unlawfully diverted or misapplied, allegations that have brought former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah and other defendants before Criminal Court “C.”
The NDMA witness’s testimony focused on what reached the Gbarnga regional structure and what he personally received during the period in question. He told the court that he did not receive a shipment of 5,000 bags and that 280 bags represented the largest quantity that came into his hands.
The witness further testified that the rice he received was distributed to communities affected by disasters, placing the emphasis on the agency’s role in responding to communities experiencing emergencies and other forms of disaster-related hardship.
The testimony, however, was challenged by the defense, which questioned the scope of the witness’s knowledge and whether his personal experience covered every area, block and community that could have been involved in the distribution of the Saudi-donated rice.
That line of questioning places the witness’s testimony within a larger issue before the court, namely whether the absence of a particular shipment from one regional hub can establish what happened to the rice across the wider distribution network.
The defense’s challenge also raised questions about the extent of the witness’s responsibility, the geographical areas covered by his information and whether rice could have been distributed through channels or locations outside the witness’s direct knowledge.
The prosecution, however, is using testimony from witnesses connected to the distribution process to build its case concerning the alleged disappearance, diversion or misapplication of the donated rice.
The 29,412 bags at the center of the case represent a substantial humanitarian consignment intended for distribution, making the court proceedings focused not only on individual transactions but also on how the rice was accounted for as it moved through the distribution system.
The testimony from the NDMA coordinator provides one part of that account. His evidence establishes what he said reached the Gbarnga regional hub and what he personally handled, while the defense has questioned whether that knowledge is sufficiently comprehensive to account for the entire shipment.
Former Foreign Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah and the other defendants deny the allegations against them. They remain presumed innocent unless the prosecution proves the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
As the trial continues, the court is expected to weigh the testimony of the witnesses against the other evidence presented by both sides to determine what happened to the Saudi-donated rice and whether the prosecution has established criminal responsibility against any of the accused.
Photo caption: An NDMA county coordinator testifies at Criminal Court “C” in Monrovia about the distribution of Saudi-donated rice and the reported 5,000-bag shipment alleged to have been destined for the agency’s Gbarnga regional hub.
