PHOTO: Judge, Ousman F. Ficika of Ceiminal Court “C”
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Criminal Court “C” Judge, Ousman F. Ficika has reserved ruling after entertaining legal arguments on a motion for a new trial filed by former senior officials of the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
The motion was filed following a unanimous guilty verdict returned by a 15-member trial jury against the former LISGIS officials on multiple criminal charges. The case was prosecuted by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) on behalf of the Republic of Liberia.
According to defense lawyers, the former LISGIS officials are seeking a new trial based on alleged newly discovered evidence, which they argue would likely have changed the outcome of the case had it been presented during trial.
The defendants include former LISGIS Director General Francis F. Wreh and several senior managers. In January 2025, they were charged with economic sabotage, misuse of public funds, misapplication of entrusted property, forgery and counterfeiting, unlawful rewarding of public servants, and unlawful compensation in procurement matters.
Audit Report at Center of Motion
Central to the motion is an audit conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under a co-financing agreement with the Government of Liberia. The audit reviewed census-related expenditures up to December 31, 2023, and reportedly issued an unqualified opinion, indicating that LISGIS had no financial irregularities.
Defense lawyers argue that the audit report, completed in February 2024 and officially received by current LISGIS management on December 16, 2024, was not disclosed to the defendants before trial. They claim the report effectively exonerates their clients of allegations of financial mismanagement.
The motion also cites alleged procedural errors, including claims that the indictment was never read to the jury, thereby denying jurors a clear understanding of the charges. The defense further questioned the integrity of the verdict, noting that the jury reportedly deliberated for less than thirty minutes despite extensive documentary evidence presented during the trial.
The defendants additionally allege that the prosecution withheld key documents, including a 2019 “no objection” request to the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) related to census procurements, as well as a May 11, 2022 letter from former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah, confirming the transfer of US$3 million to the Census Basket Fund.
According to the defense, these documents contradict the prosecution’s claim that census funds were diverted for personal use.
Court Awaits Decision
Following arguments from both the defense and the prosecution, Judge Ficika reserved ruling, indicating that the court will announce its decision at a later date.
The motion was filed through defense counsel Cllr. Milton D. Taylor, Sr., Cllr. James N. Mieh, Sr., and Cllr. Gabriel Nah, dated January 16, 2026.