MONROVIA, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has issued Executive Order No. 161, extending the mandate of Liberia’s Asset Recovery Task Force by an additional one year as part of the government’s efforts to track, recover, and repatriate assets allegedly misappropriated by current and former public officials.
The extension comes as the previous mandate—established under Executive Order 145—was due to expire on March 5, 2026.
According to the Executive Order, the extension was deemed necessary because the Task Force has not yet fully completed its investigations due to circumstances beyond its control, while the recovery of stolen state assets remains a critical national objective.
Task Force Leadership
The Asset Recovery Task Force will continue to operate under the Office of the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and is composed of four members appointed by the President:
- Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin — Chairman
- Dr. Ranney B. Jackson — Vice Chairman
- John Mulbah Gbilee — Member
- Crosby Johnson — Member
The committee is tasked with leading investigations aimed at identifying and recovering public resources allegedly converted to private use.
Mandate and Powers
The core mandate of the Task Force includes:
- Identifying and tracing Liberia’s stolen or suspicious assets both domestically and abroad.
- Investigating cases of unlawful conversion of public property by individuals or institutions.
- Initiating criminal prosecution and civil litigation where necessary to recover assets.
- Repatriating recovered assets to the Government of Liberia.
The Task Force is also authorized to establish investigative panels to probe suspected cases of corruption and asset diversion.
International Cooperation
The Executive Order further empowers the Task Force to work with international partners, including diplomatic channels and INTERPOL, to locate and bring suspects under Liberian jurisdiction when necessary.
Individuals under investigation may also face travel restrictions or other legal measures pending the outcome of inquiries.
Inter-Agency Collaboration
To execute its mandate, the Task Force will collaborate with several government institutions, including:
- Ministry of Justice (Liberia)
- Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission
- Liberia Revenue Authority
- Financial Intelligence Agency (Liberia)
- General Services Agency (Liberia)
The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (Liberia) has been directed to allocate funding to support the full implementation of the Task Force’s operations.
Anti-Corruption Priority
President Boakai stated that the recovery of stolen public assets is essential to safeguarding Liberia’s economic stability and strengthening public confidence in government institutions.
The extension of the Task Force’s mandate reflects the administration’s commitment to ensuring that individuals who unlawfully converted public resources are held accountable and that stolen assets are returned to the Liberian people.
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