Published: August 27, 2026
MONROVIA — Liberia’s Supreme Court has given former Planned Parenthood Association of Liberia official Enree Bee Neeplo 60 days to pay a US$10,000 fine or serve 10 years in prison after upholding her conviction for economic sabotage.
By Melvin Jackson
The court, however, reversed Neeplo’s convictions for forgery and counterfeiting, criminal conspiracy, and speculation or wagering on official action or information, finding that prosecutors failed to prove those charges.
In its Aug. 27 judgment, the five-member court ruled that evidence presented by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission was sufficient to sustain the economic sabotage conviction handed down by Criminal Court “C” of the First Judicial Circuit.
The ruling leaves Neeplo convicted of one of the four offenses for which she was found guilty by the lower court.
Procurement and Donor-Fund Irregularities
The case grew out of an LACC investigation into PPAL’s operations from Jan. 1, 2013, to Dec. 31, 2018. Investigators reported procurement irregularities, unauthorized expenditures and misuse of donor funds.
According to the judgment, trial evidence linked Neeplo to the establishment of PEWETTA Security Services; the purchase of a Ford Everest vehicle with funds from a BMZ donor-supported project; payments for laptop computers; and the awarding of a catering contract to JNID Catering Services.
The court also cited procurement transactions involving alleged conflicts of interest and violations of established procedures.
Jurors at Criminal Court “C” concluded that the irregularities and fraudulent transactions amounted to economic sabotage. The Supreme Court said it would not disturb that finding because evidence in the trial record supported the verdict.
The justices reached a different conclusion on the remaining charges, ruling that the evidence was insufficient to sustain Neeplo’s convictions for forgery and counterfeiting, criminal conspiracy, and speculation or wagering on official action or information.
Those three convictions were consequently reversed.
Court Rejects Statute-of-Limitations Argument
Neeplo also argued that the prosecution was barred by the statute of limitations.
The Supreme Court rejected that argument, citing Section 4.3 of Liberia’s Criminal Procedure Law, which allows prosecutions involving fraud or a breach of fiduciary duty to begin within two years after the offense is discovered by the injured party or a legal representative, subject to the law’s overall limitation.
Because the alleged irregularities were uncovered during the LACC investigation, the court found that the prosecution was brought within the legally permitted period.
Fine Due Within 60 Days
Under the judgment, Neeplo must pay the US$10,000 fine within 60 days after the Supreme Court’s mandate is read in Criminal Court “C.” If she fails to pay within that period, she must serve 10 years in prison.
The Supreme Court instructed its clerk to send a mandate to Criminal Court “C,” directing the judge to resume jurisdiction and enforce the judgment.
Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. and Associate Justices Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, Yussif D. Kaba, Ceaineh D. Clinton-Johnson and Boakai N. Kanneh signed the ruling.
Neeplo was represented on appeal by counselors Luther N. Yorfee, J. Awia Vankan and Gerald G. Appleton. Counselor Bobby W. Livingstone represented the LACC.
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