Two former high-ranking officials of the Liberian government have been sentenced to five years in prison each for their involvement in the large-scale misuse of public funds intended for Liberia’s 2021 National Population and Housing Census.
The ruling was delivered by Criminal Court “C” Judge Ousman Feika, who affirmed a unanimous jury verdict finding Lawrence George and Dominic Paye guilty of economic sabotage and related corruption offenses. Both men previously served as senior officials at the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
The case stemmed from a 2023 indictment brought by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), which investigated the handling of funds allocated for census activities between 2019 and 2022. According to prosecutors, approximately US$1.795 million earmarked for the national census could not be properly accounted for.
Beyond their prison sentences, the court ordered George and Paye to jointly restitute US$97,000, representing the remaining unaccounted balance tied to the corruption scheme.
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented evidence pointing to serious financial and administrative violations, including irregular procurement practices, payments for workshops without supporting documentation, unauthorized compensation, and the failure to remit mandatory taxes to the government.
Three other individuals charged in connection with the case, including former LISGIS Director General Francis Wreh, had earlier admitted wrongdoing and repaid a combined US$30,898 to the state, leading to a different legal outcome for them.
In his final judgment, Judge Feika noted that the defense failed to convincingly challenge the prosecution’s evidence. He emphasized that the facts presented during trial overwhelmingly supported the jury’s decision, leaving the court with no basis to overturn the guilty verdicts.
The ruling marks one of the most significant corruption convictions tied to the administration of the 2021 national census and reinforces renewed judicial scrutiny of public finance management in Liberia.
