A federal grand jury has indicted a 38-year-old Twin Cities businessman for allegedly smuggling firearms into the West African nation of Liberia for the past several years.
McHarding Degan Galimah faces a single smuggling charge under an indictment handed up Aug. 22 and unsealed this week in Minneapolis.
Galimah, also known as Mac, allegedly shipped firearms to Liberia without a proper license between April 2009 and April 2012.
Liberia endured several years of civil war until a peace accord was reached in 2003, prompting the resignation of former president Charles Taylor, who was accused of war crimes. He was convicted in April at The Hague of terrorism, murder and rape and sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Liberia is rebuilding its economy under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Galimah, who has lived in Coon Rapids, Mounds View and St. Paul, could not be reached for comment.
Records show that he made his initial appearance Monday in St. Paul before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Rau, who released him on a $25,000 unsecured bond.
Little else could be learned on Wednesday about Galimah or the case.
