IPNEWS: On March 28, 2024, the Assets Recovery Task Force in a search to recover government assets, impounded vehicles belonging to Gracious Ride Transport, which is reportedly owned by former Chief of Protocol Nora Finda Bundo.
The team contended that funds used to purchase said vehicles were allegedly stolen by the former government official through the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.
The Management of Gracious Ride Transport quickly ran to Chambers Justice at the Supreme Court to prohibit the Asset Recovery Team from seizing her vehicles offering transport services in the country.
The Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce had just been set up by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai under Executive Order #126, which said its intelligence points to former Chief of Protocol Finda Bondo being owner of the fleet of “Glorious Ride” taxis is being tested in court.
The Supreme Court Justice in Chambers, Yussif D. Kaba on Monday April 1,2024 demanded that Glorious Ride company headed by Finda Bondo present title documents leading to the legitimate of the vehicles.
The petitioner, Glorious ride, filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court after the taskforce stopped its vehicles requesting ownership documents, which was given from April 1-5, 2024 to present their relevant documents belonging to the vehicles.
The respondent (Assets Recovery and Property Retrieval team) in their response said that Glorious ride doesn’t have the capacity or standing to sue them.
Prior to seeking the Justice in Chambers intervention, speculation surround that the seizure of Glorious ride vehicles was believed to be owned by former President George Weah Executive Mansion chief of protocol Finda Bondo, for which the Supreme Court Chambers Justice Yussif D. Kaba ordered the temporary release of those vehicles seized by the Assets Recovery and property retrieval team.
Justice Kaba order came a minute after the vehicle owner filed a petition for a writ of prohibition.
A writ of prohibition is a writ directing a subordinate to stop doing something the law prohibits. This writ is often issued by a superior court to the lower court directing it not to proceed with a case which does not fall under its jurisdiction. The writ says by directive of his Honor Yussif D. Kaba, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, your are hereby cited to a conference with his Honor on Monday April 1,2024, at 11:00am in connection with the above captioned case. Meanwhile, you are ordered to release all the vehicles seized and stay all seizure pending outcome of the conference.
Eerier on Wednesday, March 27,2024, the Glorious ride vehicles and several vehicles belonging to the former Police IG Patrick Sudue were also impounded by the Asset Recovery and property Retrieval team headed by former Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission boss Cllr. Edwin Kla Martin and team.
Following the temporary release of the ‘Glorious Ride’ vehicles, the Assets Recovery Team stated that its action was not deliberate to disenfranchise the Gracious Ride but was done to investigate the allegation of suspicion surrounding the acquisition of the petitioner’s vehicles.
The Assets Recovery Team further maintained the investigation of suspicious assets falls within the mandates of Executive Order #126 which was announced by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai. However, in a one-page decision, Associate Justice Kaba also mandated the Task Force to proceed in line with the law.
Justice Kaba’s ruling obtained by this paper, reads: “By directive of His Honor Yussif D. Kaba, Associate Justice Presiding in Chambers, has declined to issue the writ prayed for by the petitioner, reserving the rights and considering the attached communication from the respondent, you are hereby informed that the respondent to proceed in keeping with law.”
Before the Chambers Justice’s order, he gave five days ultimatum to Gracious Ride which expired on April 5, 2024, to bring their legitimate documents that give them the right to ownership or entitlement.
The ultimatum was issued on Monday, April 1, 2024, following a decision made by Justice Kaba during a conference held with lawyers representing the Assets Recovery Team and Gracious Ride.
Now, reports are now emerging that ‘Gracious Ride’, the well-known transportation company, is not owned by Finda Boundo, as publicly believed, but by former President George Weah himself.
Efforts to get response from the office of the former President is ongoing.
However, trail of ownership as far back to February 10, 2020, when former President Weah officially registered a company called ‘Royal Multi-purpose Investment Group Inc’.. On the legal documents, former President George Weah is listed as the CEO and sole owner of the company.
Between 2020 and 2023, this conglomerate expanded rapidly, acquiring assets across multiple sectors, including mining, real estate, construction, and transportation. As the head of the investment group, Weah’s influence grew, and Gracious Ride emerged as one of its subsidiaries, operating under the umbrella of Royal Multi-purpose Investment Group.
While many Liberians saw Gracious Ride as an independent entity, the truth was far from it. Gracious Ride, under the leadership of Finda Boundo, was merely a front for Weah’s investment empire. The company had been authorized by Weah’s group to petition the court, attempting to prevent the Asset Recovery Team from investigating its operations.
Meanwhile In March 2024, the Asset Recovery Team launched an investigation into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Gracious Ride’s acquisition of a fleet of mini-taxis. Evidence began to surface, showing illegal transactions directly linked to George Weah, with connections to GBK Motors, which could potentially jeopardize the company’s operations in Liberia. These findings suggest a series of clandestine deals that could undermine the integrity of Liberia’s transportation industry.
When the Asset Recovery Team sought to uncover the truth, both Gracious Ride and President Weah made an unprecedented move. They petitioned the Supreme Court to block the investigation, arguing that the Asset Recovery Team was unconstitutional. This legal challenge has turned into a major constitutional issue, with the court now holding onto the case for over eight months, without a decision.
The saga has sparked fierce debates over the use of executive powers. Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf had established a special prosecution task force via an Executive Order, which was later used by Vice President Joseph Boakai to create the Asset Recovery Team. However, Weah now argues that the very same executive order is unconstitutional, a stance that raises questions about his motivations.
With every passing day, the truth behind Gracious Ride’s operations, the illegal transactions, and the web of criminal activities Weah appears to be hiding becomes more apparent. The public awaits a decision from the Supreme Court that could expose the full extent of these dealings.
What we now know for certain is that George Weah, during his presidency, concealed his ownership of a vast business empire behind trusted individuals like Finda Boundo and others. By using front figures to operate his enterprises, Weah created a complex structure of businesses under his control, shielding them from scrutiny.
The unfolding investigation into Gracious Ride and the hidden dealings of Royal Multi-purpose Investment Group may soon reveal the full extent of President Weah’s illegal activities and the empire he built on questionable foundations.
