Boakai Gov't’s Anti-Corruption Drive Lands Guilty Verdict Against Kemayah in Disaster Relief Rice Case

Monrovia, Liberia: Former Foreign Affairs Minister D. Maxwell Saah Kemayah has been found guilty on some charges in the Saudi-donated rice case before Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice.

However, the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict on theft of property and criminal conspiracy. Kemayah was neither convicted nor acquitted on those two counts, which remain unresolved.

The specific charges on which he was found guilty were not immediately available in the information provided.

The case concerns rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to feed disaster victims and vulnerable communities across Liberia.

According to the indictment, the donation consisted of 29,412 bags of 25-kilogram rice. Prosecutors alleged that 25,054 bags, valued at approximately US$425,918, were misappropriated or distributed outside authorized channels.

The prosecution presented witnesses and documents tracing the receipt, storage, transfer and distribution of the rice between the National Disaster Management Agency and the General Services Agency.

Prosecutors argued that irregularities in the handling of the donation resulted in the diversion of thousands of bags intended for people in need.

Kemayah denied stealing or unlawfully diverting the rice. In his testimony, he said his role was mainly to secure the donation through Liberia’s diplomatic relationship with Saudi Arabia.

He maintained that the government institutions assigned to handle the rice were responsible for its storage, management and distribution.

Defense testimony also challenged claims that Kemayah personally directed the transfer of rice to GSA warehouses. Former NDMA Board Chairman Varney A. Sirleaf described the transfer as an institutional decision intended to address storage and inventory concerns.

Sentencing details and any plans to appeal were not provided. The court’s handling of the unresolved theft and criminal conspiracy charges remains pending.