Liberia: State Rests as Defense Challenges 5,000-Bag Figure, Witness Accounts

Monrovia — The prosecution has rested its case against former Foreign Affairs Minister Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah and his co-defendants in the Saudi rice trial after 31 days of jury sitting, with the defense expected to begin presenting its witnesses on Friday, September 18, 2026. By Willie N. Tokpah The transition comes after prosecution testimony focused on the movement and distribution of thousands of bags of rice donated to Liberia by Saudi Arabia, while defense questioning highlighted gaps between witnesses’ personal knowledge, documentary records and information obtained through investigations. At the center of the case is a 2023 donation of 29,412 bags of 25-kilogram rice, valued at approximately US$500,000 and intended for disaster-affected and vulnerable communities.

According to the indictment, 11,200 bags were placed at a General Services Agency facility, while 18,212 bags were stored in two National Disaster Management Agency warehouses. The prosecution alleges that portions of the rice were misappropriated, unlawfully distributed or otherwise improperly handled. Kemayah and the other defendants have denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty. The 5,000-Bag Question During Tuesday’s proceedings, an NDMA-related witness testified about his involvement in rice distribution. He personally described receiving or facilitating the distribution of 80 bags to Zota District and 200 bags in Gbarnga, accounting for 280 bags in the transactions he specifically identified. When asked how he could say that 5,000 bags were not sent to the Gbarnga regional hub, the witness responded, “Because I was there. ” Under cross-examination and re-cross-examination, however, questions emerged about the scope of his personal knowledge and whether his presence at the facility gave him…