By Staff Writer
MONROVIA – The Supreme Court of Liberia has upheld the conviction of Enree Bee Neeplo, former Program Manager of the Planned Parenthood Association of Liberia (PPAL), for economic sabotage, bringing a long-running corruption case to a close.
In a ruling delivered Thursday, August 27, the High Court affirmed the judgment of Criminal Court “C,” ordering Neeplo to pay a fine of US$10,000 within 60 days and serve a 10-year prison sentence.
However, the Supreme Court declined to uphold several other charges previously brought against Neeplo, including theft of property, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public funds, misuse of property, forgery and counterfeiting. The case was prosecuted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
Case Involved More Than US$148,000
The prosecution stemmed from allegations surrounding the management and expenditure of funds linked to PPAL.
In its first-quarter 2025 report, the LACC identified the case as involving approximately US$148,965 and said the indictment included charges of theft of property, illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money, misuse of public money, economic sabotage, forgery, and criminal conspiracy.
The matter was initially tried before Criminal Court “C,” presided over by Judge A. Blamo Dixon.
On April 25, 2025, the LACC announced that Neeplo had been convicted of economic sabotage. According to the Commission, the allegations centered on expenditures related to a PEWETTA vehicle, a Ford Everest SUV, laptops, catering services, and youth program activities.
From Criminal Court to the Supreme Court
The PPAL case had earlier resulted in the convictions of several other defendants.
According to the LACC, Miatta K. K. Kojolo, Ernest Vobah, Peter Collins, and William Gibson were convicted following a joint trial. Neeplo, however, successfully sought a separate trial.
Court records show that Neeplo filed a motion requesting severance from her co-defendants, while the group simultaneously challenged the indictment. Although the lower court denied the motions, Neeplo petitioned the Supreme Court through a writ of certiorari.
A Justice in Chambers later granted her request for a separate trial but refused to dismiss the indictment, sending the matter back to Criminal Court “C” for trial on the merits.
Following the separate proceedings, Judge Dixon found Neeplo guilty of economic sabotage and sentenced her to 10 years in prison. Reports at the time also indicated that she was ordered to repay more than US$200,000 and pay a fine.
Neeplo subsequently appealed the conviction to the Supreme Court.
High Court Affirms Conviction
The appeal became a prominent example of the challenges faced by the LACC in enforcing corruption-related judgments.
In June 2025, LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe cited the Neeplo case while noting that convictions handed down by Criminal Court “C” remain unenforceable until appeals are exhausted before the Supreme Court.
With Thursday’s ruling, the nation’s highest court has now affirmed Neeplo’s conviction for economic sabotage, effectively ending the appellate process.
While the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of her criminal liability by rejecting several of the additional charges, it left intact the conviction for economic sabotage, along with the accompanying 10-year prison sentence and US$10,000 fine.
The ruling marks another significant corruption judgment under the LACC’s anti-corruption drive and shifts the focus from litigation to the enforcement of the Court’s final decision.
