In a ruling that could reshape Liberia’s high‑profile corruption trial, Criminal Court “C” Judge Osuman F. Feikai has ordered FUTA Corporation to produce procurement records tied to the controversial US$500,000 Saudi rice case.
The decision followed a courtroom clash between state prosecutors and defense lawyers over subpoenas aimed at uncovering evidence in the alleged diversion of 29,412 bags of rice donated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for disaster victims.
Prosecutors petitioned the court to issue both a subpoena duces tecum—compelling FUTA to produce procurement documents—and a subpoena ad testificandum, requiring testimony from company officials. They argued the records were vital to proving how the rice was supplied and distributed.
“We request your honor to subpoena FUTA Corporation to bring forth procurement documents of the 29,412 bags of Saudi Arabia rice supplied,” prosecutors told the court. They also sought communications allegedly authored by former National Disaster Management Agency Executive Director Henry O. Williams.
Defense lawyers fiercely opposed the motion, branding it “baseless, vague and indistinct.” They insisted the prosecution had ample opportunity to secure the documents during the discovery stage and accused the state of acting in bad faith.
“This submission grossly violates the principle of notice because the state was in a better position to produce all of these documents during discovery,” defense counsel argued. They urged the court to dismiss the request outright.
In his ruling, Judge Feikai emphasized that subpoenas must be grounded in specificity and particularity. He granted the prosecution’s request only for the clearly identified procurement documents and Williams’s communication, rejecting any demand for vaguely described “relevant documents.”
“The court grants the request in part: the portion that named the documents to be subpoenaed. Said request was specific and particular,” Judge Feikai declared.
He further approved the subpoena duces tecum but denied the subpoena ad testificandum, noting that the witness had already testified about the documents in question.
Both sides immediately took exception to the ruling. Defense lawyers objected to the granting of the subpoena duces tecum, while prosecutors challenged the denial of their broader request for additional documents.
The case remains part of Liberia’s most closely watched corruption trial, centered on allegations that humanitarian rice meant for vulnerable communities was misappropriated through unauthorized meetings and undocumented distributions.
With FUTA now compelled to produce procurement records, the trial edges closer to exposing the paper trail behind the alleged diversion. Analysts say the ruling underscores the judiciary’s balancing act between prosecutorial zeal and procedural safeguards.
As the proceedings continue at the Temple of Justice, public attention remains fixed on whether Liberia’s courts can deliver accountability in a scandal that has come to symbolize the betrayal of public trust.
