The First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Court ‘C’ at the Temle of Justice in Monrovia, has dismissed the corruption indictment against Arthur S. Massaquoi, and several senior officials of the Bureau of State Enterprise (BSE).
The decision marked an abrupt end to a case that had been stalled for months without reaching a trial.
Assigned Circuit Judge Ousman F. Feika issued the ruling on Monday, August 31, granting a freedom to a jointly motion filed by Massaquoi, and co-defendants Mathew Kotio, Kathaniah Mitchell, Isaac Kporkulah, Jessephen Yeh Dahn, Varlee Sarnor, and Mohammed Fofana.
The accused individuals were indicted during the November 2025 Term of court on charges of economic sabotage, theft of property, misapplication of entrusted property, criminal conspiracy, and criminal facilitation. Judge Feika determined that the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) failed to comply with Chapter 18, Section 18.2 of the Criminal Procedure Law, which mandates that the state must try defendants in the next succeeding term following an indictment unless it can demonstrate “good cause” for any delay.
The court found that the prosecution did not provide a legally sufficient explanation for its failure to proceed, despite two full terms of court passing without any action toward trial.
Additionally, the judge dismissed the prosecution’s assertion that the defendants were “free citizens,” noting that a state-imposed travel embargo contradicted this claim, and restricted their constitutional rights while the case remained inactive.
With the indictment dismissed without prejudice, the state retains the right to re-indict the former BSE officials. Following the ruling, counsel for the defendants announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court for its October Term.
