An employee of the Liberia Institute for Statistic and Geo-Information Service (LISGIS) has confessed that he conspired with other employees to sabotage the successful conduct of the just-ended National Population and Housing Census.
Alphonso George, a driver of the entity who was arrested at the time by police for the alleged crime, said he and his co-defendant conspired to prevent the delivery of material to designated center by staying away from duty on census day.
The confession, which follows his temporary released by the Liberia National Police (LNP), was contained in a letter to LISGIS Director of Human Resource, dated May 1, 2023.
Defendant George expressed regret for his action, which he admitted caused embarrassment for the government that was under pressure at the time to meet the deadline in the process.
Alphonso said he takes full responsibility for the criminal behavior and promised not to repeat said action in the discharge of his duty.
The defendant also disclosed that salaries at the Liberia Institute for Statistic and Geo-Information Service are current despite rumor he spread around that the entity owes huge salary arrears.
This voluntary and unprecedented revelation may come as an embarrassment to the leadership of the Civil Servant Association of Liberia, which has always accused LISGIS of illegal suspensions, dismissals and bad labor practice.
Meanwhile, LISGIS Acting Director General, Lawrence George, said the entity has no plan to wrongly dismiss or suspend its employees as is being fabricated in some quarters.
He welcomed the defendant’s decision to let the world know that his suspension and subsequent arrest were not done on the basis of hate but on the basis of truth.