Two Former CDC Officials Jailed for 2019–2022 Census Fund Misuse

Monrovia, Liberia: Criminal Court ‘C’ has sentenced two former government officials to five years’ imprisonment each after they were convicted of mismanaging public funds intended for Liberia’s 2021 national census.

Presiding Judge Ousman Feika delivered the sentence against Lawrence George and Dominic Paye, both former officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), affirming the jury’s unanimous guilty verdict.

The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), which prosecuted the case following a 2023 indictment, reported that about US$1.795 million allocated for census operations between 2019 and 2022 could not be fully accounted for.

Beyond the prison terms, the court ordered the two men to repay US$97,000, representing the remaining disputed amount.

Three additional defendants, including former LISGIS Director General Francis Wreh, had earlier refunded US$30,898 after admitting to the charges.

Testimony and evidence presented during the trial highlighted procurement violations, unsupported workshop expenses, unauthorized payments, and failure to remit statutory taxes.

Judge Feika ruled that the defense failed to adequately challenge the prosecution’s evidence, allowing the jury’s verdict to stand.

The ruling is being widely viewed as a notable development in Liberia’s anti-corruption efforts.