-AREPT DENIES EX- COMMERCE MIN., DIGGS

 Former Commerce Minister, Mawine G. Diggs, facing criminal charges, had written the Asset Recovery and Property Retrieval Task Force, AREPT, seeking its permission for a visit to the United States on medical grounds, but AREPT and the Ministry of Justice have turned down her request, urging her to first exhaust available medical options in Liberia to prove that treatment cannot be obtained locally.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court "C", presided over by Judge Ousman F. Feika, has ordered an independent medical assessment of Diggs by a local healthcare provider and that the findings must be submitted within 48 hours.

Diggs is among eight individuals indicted in the Rural Women Empowerment Funds case.

An alleged misappropriation of approximately US$493,669.38 and LRD$190.3 million intended for rural women's empowerment programs is reported.

The defendants face charges, including theft of property, economic sabotage, misapplication of entrusted property, and criminal conspiracy.