By: Akoi M. Baysah, Jr.
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has reopened prosecution in the longstanding corruption case involving former senior officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LIGIS) over the alleged misuse of funds allocated for the 2022 National Population and Housing Census.
Criminal Court “C” resumed full proceedings on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, following the selection and induction of a fifteen-member jury. The development marks a major breakthrough in a case stalled since 2023.
The current defendants on trial are Dominic Paye, former Comptroller of LIGIS, and Lawrence George, former Deputy Director-General for Administration. A third defendant, Wilmot Smith, former Deputy Director-General for Information and Coordination, has been removed from the ongoing trial and will face a separate proceeding after the court confirmed he is outside Liberia’s jurisdiction. The case is proceeding as a full jury trial.
Prosecutors allege that the accused officials diverted census funds in violation of established financial procedures. Key allegations include: procurement of a used generator at an inflated price rather than a new unit approved in the census budget, the use of shell or front companies to siphon public funds for personal benefit and payments issued for a census workshop that reportedly never took place, including disbursements to individuals who did not render services.
While earlier assessments estimated losses as high as US$1.7 million, verified financial documents now before the court place the prosecutable amount at US$128,198.64.
According to the LACC, the alleged financial mismanagement severely impacted the 2022 census, fueling protests by unpaid enumerators, triggering logistical failures, and eroding public confidence in a national exercise critical to Liberia’s development planning.
The LACC reaffirmed its commitment to accountability and transparency, assuring the public that it remains determined to pursue the case to its lawful conclusion.
