By Bill W. Cooper
The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has released its 2024 investigation report, revealing severe levels of corruption involving powerful institutions and government officials.
The report also outlined the completion of investigations into 27 significant cases involving approximately US$15 million in alleged corruption and theft by current and former government officials.
The report, released by the Commission on March 19, 2025, examined several cases from 2024, as it included incidents of money laundering at the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and procurement fraud at the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) amounting to US$3 million.
The Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) also detailed that about $6 million that was suspiciously transferred from the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), involving prominent figures such as former Finance Minister Samuel Tweah and ex-Deputy Justice Minister Cllr. Nyenati Tuan.
The report also implicated former Monrovia City Corporation (MCC) official Varney Passewe in laundering US$1.1 million, along with former Minister of State Nathaniel McGill, over allegations of payroll padding during his tenure at the Ministry.
The report also implicates the National Elections Commission (NEC) in the misappropriation of US$161,000 due to official corruption, while there are allegations of unaccounted funds amounting to millions of dollars related to projects and renovations in River Cess County.
The LACC was established with the authority to combat corruption and promote transparency; however, it cited the absence of a specialized anti-corruption court as a reason for its inability to address many corruption cases in the country.
This Commission noted that having only one court in Montserrado handling corruption cases makes it challenging to expeditiously fast-track the various cases at the Commission, thus renewing its call for the establishment of a specialized Anti-Corruption Court.
The Commission further emphasized that while it has concluded multiple investigations, securing indictments remains a challenge due to the backlog of cases in Montserrado County’s only court handling corruption matters.
The LACC has also committed to releasing first-quarter 2025 cases in April, and said the decision aligns with Section 14.1 of its 2022 Act, which states, “The Commission shall, within three months after the end of any fiscal year, submit an annual report to the President and the Commission Legislature.”
The Commission announced that, as part of its commitment to transparency and public engagement, it will release a summary report this week, highlighting key activities, achievements, challenges, and recommendations to strengthen the fight against corruption.
Meanwhile, now that the LACC has released its corruption case findings, the spotlight has turned to President Joseph Boakai and his administration’s commitment to tackling corruption in the country.
President Boakai, who took office in January 2024, campaigned on a mantra of reform and anti-corruption, promising to restore integrity to public service, end corruption in public offices, and eliminate impunity across Liberia.
His administration’s Agriculture, Rule of Law, Roads, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism (ARREST) agenda is intended to bring about long-lasting change in Liberia and to hold accountable those who have misappropriated public resources, among other things.
However, the effectiveness of this agenda hinges on the President’s willingness to act on the LACC’s findings, with critics arguing that without a strong commitment to independence and transparency by the President, the LACC may struggle to fulfill its fiduciary mandate effectively.
As Liberians await the President’s response to the LACC’s report, the outcome of this situation could shape the future of governance in Liberia and influence public perception of the Boakai administration.
