Criminal Court “C”, Temple of Justice, has sentenced two former senior officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) to five-year imprisonment each for their involvement in the misuse of public funds allocated for the 2021 National Population and Housing Census.
Presiding Judge Ousman Feika handed down the sentence against Lawrence George, former Deputy Director-General for Administration, and Dominic Paye, former Comptroller of LISGIS, after upholding a unanimous guilty verdict returned by the jury.
The case was prosecuted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) following a 2023 indictment. According to the LACC, investigations revealed that approximately US$1.795 million allocated for census-related activities between 2019 and 2022 could not be fully accounted for.
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence pointing to procurement irregularities, unsupported workshop payments, unauthorized compensation, and the failure to remit required taxes, all of which contributed to the misuse of public funds meant for a critical national exercise.
In addition to the prison sentences, the court ordered George and Paye to restitute US$97,000, representing the outstanding balance of the disputed funds.
The court also took note that three co-defendants, including former LISGIS Director-General Francis Wreh, had earlier repaid US$30,898 to the Government of Liberia (GOL) after admitting to the charges brought against them.
In delivering his ruling, Judge Feika stated that the prosecution’s case was clear, cogent, and compelling, and that the defense failed to effectively rebut the evidence presented. He therefore affirmed that the jury’s unanimous verdict would stand.
The LACC has welcomed the ruling, describing it as a major milestone in Liberia’s fight against corruption and a strong reminder that public officials entrusted with state resources will be held accountable for their actions.
According to the LACC, this judgment underscores the Government of Liberia’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, and sends a clear message that the misuse of public funds, particularly those intended for national development, will not be tolerated.
