MONROVIA – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has issued Executive Order No. 126, establishing the Office of Assets Recovery. This initiative, according to the President, comes in response to widespread concerns regarding the unlawful acquisition of wealth by some past government officials at the expense of the Liberian people.
“It is paramount that public assets that were illegally obtained and converted to private use be retrieved and returned to the Liberian people and the perpetrators be brought to justice in accordance with appropriate laws that provide for confiscation through criminal investigation and legal prosecution and…” the Executive Order states
The Office of Assets Recovery, operating under the Ministry of State for Special Services, will spearhead efforts to identify, trace, and retrieve assets that have been illegally acquired or converted to private use. The task force will collaborate closely with agencies such as the General Services Agency and the Ministry of Justice, as well as all security agencies.
The mandate of the task force includes initiating criminal prosecutions and civil litigations against individuals implicated in asset misappropriation, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, travel restrictions will be imposed on suspects, and efforts will be made to extradite individuals residing outside Liberia’s jurisdiction.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning has been directed to allocate necessary funding for the implementation of this initiative without delay.
