The he Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) is still pushing for the establishment of a specialized court that specifically takes care of corruption cases in the country.
The call comes amid growing corruption cases that overwhelms the anti-corruption institution. The call follows the release of its 2024 annual report, which details completed investigations into corruption cases across various government agencies and institutions.
Released Wednesday, March 19, 2025 by LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra Kromah Zoe, the Report highlights financial irregularities amounting to millions of dollars and underscores the ongoing challenge of securing indictments due to the lack of a specialized anti-corruption court.
Several high-profile cases were investigated and completed in 2024, including allegations of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and procurement fraud, according to the report.
Topping the cases is the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL's US$3 million procurement fraud case related to the construction of its headquarters. The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) was also the subject of multiple investigations, including a money laundering case involving US$229,771 linked to an employee, Daniel Kolleh, and a separate US$195,213 laundering case connected to Abraham Askie.
The LACC further disclosed that former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and other officials, including former Deputy Minister of Justice Nyenati Tuan, were implicated in the alleged mismanagement of US$6 million transferred from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) to the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA). Additionally, former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel McGill was named in an investigation into payroll fraud within the ministry.
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Other notable cases include a US$200,000 fraud allegation at the Executive Protection Service (EPS), a US$900,000 construction fraud case at the Ministry of Public Works, and an investigation into Bong County's Social Development Fund, where US$3 million was allegedly mismanaged.
While the LACC has concluded investigations into these cases, it emphasized that prosecuting corruption remains a major hurdle due to the limited capacity of the Montserrado court handling such matters. "We are currently working with the courts to secure indictments, but the lack of a specialized anti-corruption court remains our primary challenge in the fight against corruption," Cllr. Zoe stated.
The LACC announced that it would publish cases completed in the first quarter of 2025 in April, further demonstrating its commitment to accountability. However, with millions of dollars in alleged fraud uncovered, public attention now shifts to whether these cases will result in successful prosecutions or if systemic legal barriers will continue to shield corrupt officials from justice.
