Africa-Press – Liberia. The Modern Development & Management Corporation (MDMC), led by its Chief Executive Officer, John S. Youboty Sr., has sharply responded to what it described as a false, speculative, and misleading indictment issued by the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Taskforce (AREPT) for Theft of Property and Criminal Facilitation.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, November 10, 2025, MDMC’s management and legal team rejected the allegations as misleading and unsupported by credible evidence.
“MDMC wants the Liberian people and the world to know that it vehemently detests the form and manner in which the Asset Recovery Taskforce has manipulated the judiciary with such diabolical lies against a corporate entity like MDMC, which has tremendously contributed to the infrastructure growth of Liberia,” the company’s statement read.
The corporation argued that AREPT had overstepped its mandate by revisiting issues already addressed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia, and that MDMC claims had issued legal opinions validating the company’s contract performance.
At the press conference featuring Mr. Youboty Sr. and members of the MDMC legal team, the company warned of what it called a pattern of institutional malice and vowed to defend its reputation through legal means.
The company accused certain mischievous and sinister individuals and institutions of conspiring to damage its credibility, describing AREPT’s actions as devilish, prejudicial, and a gross abuse of power and public trust.
“Those responsible for inflicting grave reputational and psychological damage on MDMC and its CEO must be brought to justice,” the statement continued, “to account for their dirty and unprofessional deeds before the Liberian justice system.”
The management further cautioned AREPT and its allies against what it called an orchestrated attempt to incriminate decent people.
During the Q&A session, CEO Youboty clarified that MDMC’s dealings were based on legitimate, government-approved contracts with valid documentation. He added that any dispute should have been resolved through arbitration, as required under the agreement, a process he says the Taskforce ignored.
“AREPT’s job is to go after surreptitious and hidden wealth, not legitimate, documented contracts,” Youboty said. “MDMC’s contract remains genuine and active, with provisions for arbitration in case of misunderstanding, provisions that were never followed.”
According to AREPT Chairperson Cllr. Edward Kla Martin, the indictment involves Thelma Duncan Sawyer, former Deputy Minister for Administration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and John S. Youboty, CEO of MDMC Express Incorporated.
Martin alleged that on September 12, 2023, MOFA, under Acting Minister Sawyer, signed a US$1.95 million contract with MDMC Express for the renovation of the Ministry’s building. The project, funded through a US$2.5 million grant from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was to be completed by December 31, 2023.
AREPT claims that its investigation revealed that only 56.35% of the work, valued at US$1,098,863.58, was completed, even though MDMC allegedly received full payment.
“This means that 43.65 percent of the work, valued at US$851,136.13, was not done at all, even though the company had already received full payment,” Cllr. Martin emphasized.
He added that an independent architectural appraisal confirmed that no certificate of completion had been issued for the project.
These findings form the basis upon which Thelma Duncan Sawyer, MDMC CEO John S. Youboty, Project Manager Joseph C. Goodridge, and other MDMC representatives have been indicted, Martin stated.
He further urged the government to terminate all ongoing and pending contractual engagements with MDMC, declaring the company formally indicted and unfit for further engagement.
“Let us be clear, this is not just about money, figures, or titles,” Martin said. “Every dollar that is stolen, every asset illegally taken, is a resource denied to our people. These crimes rob Liberian children of a better future.”
The Modern Development & Management Corporation (MDMC) is a private Liberian company engaged in infrastructure development, government contracts, and vehicle documentation services.
AREPT, on the other hand, is a government task force established under the Boakai administration to recover stolen public assets and funds.
Headed by Cllr. Martin, the task force has led several high-profile corruption cases since its creation and recently announced multiple indictments involving public officials and private contractors.
Critics insist the indictment is politically motivated, while the MDMC vows to use every legal channel to restore its name and defend its integrity.
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