By: Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), in collaboration with the OECD’s Tax Inspectors Without Borders, Criminal Investigation (TIWB-CI) program and tax experts from Sweden and Kenya, has successfully concluded the second Joint Tax Crime Investigation Mission in Liberia, marking another milestone in the country’s fight against tax evasion and financial crime.
According to LRA issued release, the weeklong mission brought together investigators and technical specialists from the LRA, the Financial Intelligence Division (FID), the Swedish Tax Agency (STA), the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), as well as representatives from the Liberia National Police (LNP), the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).
Commissioner General, James Dorbor Jallah explained that the mission focused on reviewing selected tax and financial crime cases using real-time evidence to determine their suitability for deeper investigation or prosecution.
“This engagement builds on our first joint mission, which established priority areas and a detailed work plan. The second mission assessed progress and reinforced ongoing reforms,” he said.
A recent TIWB-CI gap analysis identified several challenges affecting effective tax crime enforcement in Liberia, including inadequate intelligence sharing, fragmented information systems, and limited investigative capacity across institutions.
In response, the LRA is implementing key reforms, such as drafting amendments to tax crime legislation, establishing a Tax Crime Working Group, and expanding collaboration with national law enforcement bodies.
These reforms will contribute to an integrated national tax crime strategy, coordinated through a high-level Inter-Ministerial Committee. Commissioner General Jallah emphasized that tackling tax crime is critical for ensuring fairness, building public trust, and achieving Liberia’s Domestic Resource Mobilization (DRM) goals.
He called for sustained political support, stronger inter-agency cooperation, and a data-driven approach to protect the nation’s revenue base and advance development.
The successful conclusion of the second TIWB-CI mission represents a significant step forward in Liberia’s efforts to combat tax crime and strengthen the integrity of its revenue administration system.
