By Bill W. Cooper
The Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (ARPRT) has clarified the circumstances surrounding a leaked citation that was served by former President George Weah protocol officer Finda Bondoo.
The force, through its Public Relations officer, Joseph Daniels, emphasized that the investigation is part of a broader effort to address corruption and mismanagement of public resources, and it is not solely focused on Madam Bono.
The Task-force’s assertion comes in the wake of public outcry and speculation following the leak of a notice served to Madam Bono on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, which summoned her to appear before the team regarding her involvement in the controversial Gracious Ride company.
According to the letter dated April 14, 2025, Madam Bundoo is being investigated for her alleged role in a series of transactions involving the Anita Group of Companies and its transport subsidiary, Gracious Ride.
The letter, signed by the Head of Investigation and Intelligence, John Gbilee Shile, also alleged that Bono, while serving as a public official, affixed her name and identity to corporate documents associated with the two entities, which are now under investigation for allegedly acquiring a fleet of Suzuki vehicles through questionable means.
She was due to appear before the Task Force on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at 2:30 PM at its headquarters in the Golden Key Compound, ELWA King Gray, Paynesville, to answer to allegations of corruption and economic sabotage among others.
Reacting to the leaked document, Daniels, however, confirmed the authenticity of the letter and said it was issued by the Task-force’s mandate under Executive Order 145, which empowers AREPT to investigate, trace, and recover stolen and suspicious public assets.
He decried, “But the premature and unauthorized release of this letter, which was visibly stamped and officially dispatched, represents a deliberate attempt to sway public opinion and create a false narrative of targeted persecution.”
“We have a strong reason to believe that this document was leaked by the recipient or someone from her inner circle, as the original version bears distinct features unique to our secured communications.
It is also important to underscore that Madam Bundoo is not the only individual currently under investigation. As recently disclosed by the Chairman of AREPT, Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin, the Taskforce is nearing the conclusion of 17 major cases,” he disclosed.
Joseph also revealed, “While investigations into an additional nine cases have commenced—bringing the total number of active cases to 26. These cases span multiple sectors and involve various current and former government officials suspected of misappropriating public funds and assets.”
“So, we would also like to clarify that an invitation from AREPT investigators does not imply guilt. This process is strictly intended to afford due process to persons of interest in our investigations.
If exonerated through the process, AREPT has no authority to pursue further action against such individuals, and to date, more than 15 current and former government officials have appeared before AREPT investigators about ongoing inquiries—without a single incident of information leakage,” he asserted.
Daniels, at the same time, urged those invited to cooperate professionally and to uphold the confidentiality of all official communications, and maintained, “We further request the public and media institutions to approach such matters responsibly.
“Transparency remains a cornerstone of our operations, but the integrity of ongoing investigations must be protected to ensure due process and meaningful accountability as such, we remain focused on retrieving stolen assets and restoring public trust in governance,” he added.
