Monrovia — Executive Director of the Witness Protection Agency (WPA), Atty. Maxwell Grigsby, has called on Liberians to actively support the fight against corruption by cooperating with prosecutors, saying successful convictions depend on witnesses and whistleblowers coming forward.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Justice at the National Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue in Monrovia, Grigsby said Liberia has made significant progress in strengthening its legal framework for witness protection with the enactment of the Witness Protection Act in 2022.
He noted that prior to the law's passage, Liberia had no legal framework to protect witnesses despite its long history as a republic.
Grigsby said fear of retaliation continues to discourage many witnesses from testifying, undermining the prosecution of corruption and other criminal cases.
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According to him, prosecutors often struggle to secure convictions because victims and key witnesses fail to appear in court after being intimidated or discouraged by relatives and others who believe the government cannot guarantee their safety.
He stressed that the justice system cannot obtain convictions without credible testimony, urging citizens to work with prosecutors in the interest of justice.
"If you don't testify, there will be no justice," Grigsby said.
He also highlighted the Whistleblower Act of 2022, which requires employers to publicize the law and provides a five percent reward to whistleblowers whose information leads to successful prosecutions.
Citing figures from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Grigsby said whistleblowers have contributed information in approximately 35 percent of corruption cases prosecuted by the Commission since the law took effect.
However, he expressed concern that the reward provisions of the law have not been fully implemented, warning that failure to compensate whistleblowers could discourage citizens from reporting corruption.
Grigsby said the Witness Protection Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the LACC, will advocate for funding in the 2027 national budget to ensure whistleblowers receive the rewards guaranteed under the law.
He said effective witness protection and incentives for whistleblowers are essential to strengthening anti-corruption efforts because many corruption cases depend on insider information and witness testimony.
The WPA Executive Director reaffirmed the Ministry of Justice's commitment to protecting witnesses and upholding the rule of law.
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Grigsby made the remarks during the National Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue at the Boulevard Hotel in Monrovia, where government officials, civil society organizations, and development partners discussed proposals to establish a specialized National Anti-Corruption Court.
