Monrovia – The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has renewed its call for a specialized Anti-Corruption Court to fast-track the prosecution of corruption cases. The appeal comes as the Commission releases its latest report, detailing 27 completed investigations from 2023 to 2024, with many cases stalled due to an overwhelmed judiciary.
In its March 18 statement, the LACC highlighted that despite concluding multiple investigations, securing indictments remains a challenge. The backlog of cases in Montserrado County’s existing court system has slowed prosecutions, with corruption cases competing for attention alongside other criminal matters. The Commission warned that without a dedicated tribunal, efforts to hold corrupt officials accountable would be undermined.
The report reveals a series of high-profile corruption cases across key government institutions, including the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), and the Monrovia City Corporation (MCC). The allegations range from procurement fraud and payroll padding to tax evasion and money laundering, involving millions of U.S. dollars in public funds.
One of the major cases involves the Booker Washington Institute (BWI), where investigators uncovered financial mismanagement of $25,000 linked to fraud and tax evasion. Another case implicates an LRA employee, Daniel Kolleh, in a money laundering and conspiracy scheme amounting to $229,771. Additionally, LRA’s Revenue Collection unit faces allegations of theft and conspiracy involving $9,553.
The report also exposes procurement fraud at NOCAL, where a $3 million contract for the construction of its headquarters was awarded under questionable circumstances. A separate case involving the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) revealed irregularities in the transfer of $6 million from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to FIA accounts, allegedly involving former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and former Deputy Justice Minister Cllr. Nyenati Tuan.
Other notable investigations include payroll fraud at the Ministry of State, implicating former Minister Nathaniel McGill and three other officials, and a case involving the misapplication of $400,000 by Gbarpolu County’s Project Management Committee. In Bong County, a contract worth $150,000 for the renovation of the superintendent’s compound was flagged for fraud, while the county’s development fund was mismanaged in a $3 million construction project.
The LACC argues that a specialized court would allow for swifter prosecution, protect whistleblowers, and prevent political interference. The Commission has called on the Legislature and Judiciary to prioritize the court’s establishment, emphasizing that Liberia’s ability to combat corruption depends on a legal system equipped to handle these cases effectively.
