The First Judicial Circuit Court, Criminal Assizes ‘C’ has issued a writ of arrest for Mr. Wilmot Smith, former Deputy Director General for Information and Coordination at the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), for bail jumping and failure to appear in court.
Smith is one of several senior LISGIS officials indicted by the Government of Liberia, through the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), on multiple charges including Economic Sabotage, Misapplication of Entrusted Property, Forgery, Unlawful Compensation, and Criminal Conspiracy.
The charges stem from an ongoing investigation into allegations of financial mismanagement and misuse of public funds at the national statistics agency.
According to court records, Smith was arrested earlier this year and released on a Criminal Appearance Bond intended to guarantee his presence at trial.
However, on the morning of September 18, 2025, Smith and his legal counsel, Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson, failed to appear before His Honor Judge Ousman F. Feika, prompting immediate legal action.
In a sharply worded ruling, Judge Feika characterized Smith’s absence as a “willful failure, refusal, and neglect” to comply with the conditions of his bond, stating that such conduct amounts to obstruction of justice and exposes the court to public ridicule.
As a consequence, the court revoked Smith’s bond and issued a writ commanding his immediate re-arrest.
Upon apprehension, he is to be remanded to the Monrovia Central Prison pending further proceedings.
The writ, signed and sealed by Knowles W. Shain, Sr., Clerk of Court, authorizes all peace officers under the Liberia National Police to locate and detain Smith without delay.
This latest development represents a critical juncture in the government’s high-profile corruption case involving LISGIS officials.
Other defendants in the case include Francis Wreh, Director General of LISGIS; Lawrence George, Deputy Director General for Administration; Dominic Paye, Comptroller; Germue Gbawoquiya, Deputy Census Coordinator; and Emmantry Kpoch.
The case is being closely watched by civil society and anti-corruption advocates, who see it as a test of the government’s commitment to transparency and public accountability.
Court proceedings are expected to resume in the coming days, as authorities continue efforts to bring all accused parties under the jurisdiction of the court.
