MONROVIA — The long-awaited trial over the alleged mishandling of a Saudi Arabian rice donation is set to open Wednesday, August 19, following the completion of jury selection at Criminal Court “C” in Monrovia.
The court on Tuesday, August 18, empaneled 15 jurors to hear the case involving 13 former government officials accused of illegally handling a humanitarian rice shipment intended for vulnerable Liberians and victims of disasters.
The panel consists of six men and nine women, completing the number of jurors required for the proceedings to move forward.
At the center of the case is a 2023 donation from Saudi Arabia through the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center. The consignment contained 29,412 bags of rice, with each bag weighing 25 kilograms. The total shipment was approximately 735,300 kilograms and was designated to assist an estimated 88,236 beneficiaries.
Prosecutors allege that 25,054 bags were improperly handled or disposed of in violation of the intended purpose of the donation. The indictment places the estimated value of the rice allegedly involved at about US$425,918, correcting an earlier figure of US$500,000 that had been reported.
The defendants have denied the allegations and entered pleas of not guilty.
They are facing multiple criminal counts, including theft of property, economic sabotage, misapplication of entrusted property, abuse of office and criminal conspiracy.
With the jury now seated, Wednesday’s proceedings are expected to mark the beginning of the prosecution’s presentation of evidence. Prosecutors are expected to call witnesses and introduce evidence in support of the indictment, while defense attorneys will have the opportunity to challenge the prosecution’s case through cross-examination and later present their own evidence.
The rice was officially received by Liberia in 2023 for humanitarian distribution through the National Disaster Management Agency.
The trial is expected to attract significant public attention because of the number of former officials involved and the humanitarian purpose of the donated food.
All 13 defendants remain legally presumed innocent unless the prosecution proves the charges against them beyond the required legal standard and a competent court finds them guilty.
