MONROVIA – Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice has sentenced two former senior officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) to five years imprisonment after a jury found them guilty of multiple corruption-related offenses linked to the 2021 National Population and Housing Census.
Presiding Judge Ousman F. Feika ordered Lawrence George, former Deputy Director General for Administration, and Dominic Paye, former Comptroller of LISGIS, to be incarcerated at the Monrovia Central Prison to serve their respective five-year terms.
The sentencing followed the court’s affirmation of a unanimous jury verdict convicting both men of:
- Economic Sabotage (Felony of the First Degree)
- Forgery
- Criminal Conspiracy
- Misapplication of Entrusted Property
The indictment stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) into alleged financial irregularities at LISGIS during preparations and implementation of the national census.
Restitution Ordered
In addition to their prison terms, Judge Feika ordered George and Paye to jointly restitute US$97,000 to the Government of Liberia, representing public funds that prosecutors said were not properly accounted for.
A third co-defendant, Wilmont Paye, remains at large.
Census Funds Under Scrutiny
Court records indicate that the LACC launched its probe following complaints of corruption and financial mismanagement within LISGIS, the statutory agency responsible for national statistics and census operations.
According to prosecutors, approximately US$1.795 million disbursed by the Government of Liberia between 2019 and 2022 for census-related activities could not be fully traced. The funds were reportedly deposited into a census-designated account at Ecobank Liberia Limited.
Authorities contended that portions of the money were diverted for personal use and for activities unrelated to the census program, in violation of Liberia’s anti-corruption laws and public financial management regulations.
The 2021 National Population and Housing Census was a major national undertaking aimed at updating Liberia’s demographic data for policy planning, resource allocation, and development programming. The case, therefore, attracted heightened public interest given the scale and importance of the census exercise.
Defense Arguments
During the trial, Dominic Paye testified in his own defense. He admitted receiving US$450 in per diem for census monitoring activities in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, but denied any wrongdoing.
Paye told the court that his role as Comptroller was limited to processing payments approved by LISGIS management and providing financial oversight. He maintained that he did not negotiate contracts but acted upon management directives in issuing vendor payments.
He further asserted that a 4 percent tax was withheld and remitted to the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) in connection with the purchase of a used generator from Fortune Technical Services Inc.
Defense lawyers urged the court to subpoena current LISGIS management to produce tax documentation and testify in support of the defense’s position. However, the jury ultimately found the evidence presented by the prosecution sufficient to sustain convictions on all counts.
Court Emphasizes Public Trust
In delivering the sentence, Judge Feika underscored that the court had conducted a comprehensive review of the evidence before upholding the jury’s verdict.
He described the offenses as serious breaches of public trust and violations of Liberia’s anti-corruption statutes, stressing that officials entrusted with managing public resources must be held to the highest standards of accountability.
The ruling marks another high-profile conviction in the government’s broader anti-corruption drive, as authorities continue to pursue cases involving the alleged mismanagement and diversion of public funds.
With the two former LISGIS officials now ordered to serve their terms and repay outstanding funds, the case stands as a significant development in ongoing efforts to strengthen financial accountability within public institutions.
Follow The Liberian Post on Facebook and X (formerly twitter)
