Two former senior government officials have been sentenced to five years in prison each after being found guilty of massive corruption linked to the misuse of public funds allocated for Liberia’s 2021 National Census.
The presiding judge of Criminal Court ‘C’, Ousman Feika, handed down the sentence to Lawrence George and Dominic Paye, both former officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS). Judge Feika upheld the jury’s unanimous guilty verdict, marking what many observers describe as a significant milestone in Liberia’s fight against corruption — the first time in decades that senior public officials have been jailed for corruption-related offenses.
The case was prosecuted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) following a 2023 indictment. According to the LACC, approximately US$1.795 million allocated for census-related activities between 2019 and 2022 could not be fully accounted for.
Court records revealed that the missing funds were tied to procurement irregularities, unsupported workshop payments, unauthorized compensation, and the failure to remit required taxes. Prosecutors argued that the accused officials abused their positions of trust and misapplied public resources intended for a critical national exercise.
In addition to the five-year prison terms, the court ordered George and Paye to restitute US$97,000, representing the outstanding balance of the disputed funds.
Three co-defendants, including former LISGIS Director General Francis Wreh, had earlier repaid US$30,898 after admitting to the charges, thereby avoiding further penalties.
In his ruling, Judge Feika stated that the prosecution’s case had not been effectively rebutted by the defense and affirmed that the jury’s unanimous verdict would stand.
The judgment is being widely viewed as a turning point in Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts, signaling renewed judicial resolve and accountability within public institutions.
