Full Text: On December 30, 2025, Kollie claimed that between 2024 and 2026, the Government of Liberia budgeted or spent approximately US$155 million on the Ministry of Justice. He also claimed that no individuals have been jailed for corruption or looting since President Joseph Boakai took office.
As of the time of publication, the claim had generated 950 reactions, 530 comments, and 238 shares on social media.
Under Liberian law, the Ministry of Justice serves as the chief law enforcement authority of the Republic. Its responsibilities include prosecuting all criminal cases on behalf of the state, providing legal representation for the Government of Liberia, and overseeing internal security and law enforcement.
The Ministry supervises multiple institutions, including the Liberia National Police (LNP), Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation (BCR), Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Liberia National Fire Service (LNFS), and County Attorneys and Prosecutors.
The Ministry's budget covers policing, prisons, immigration, prosecutions, fire services, and nationwide security operations, not corruption cases alone.
Verification: To verify this claim, The Stage Media Liberia reviewed the approved National Budgets for FY2024 and FY2025, as well as the Draft National Budget for FY2026. All were issued by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Our findings confirm the following allocations to the Ministry of Justice:
FY2024: US$42,434,190
FY2025: US$51,367,558
FY2026 (Draft): US$62,179,764
Total (2024 to 2026): US$155,981,512
On the issue of no "imprisonment for corruption," as of the time of this publication, The Stage Media Liberia could not confirm any final criminal conviction resulting in imprisonment for corruption or looting of public funds since President Boakai assumed office in January 2024.
Imprisonment follows investigation, indictment, trial, and conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction. Additionally, corruption cases often involve lengthy investigations, asset tracing, appeals, and procedural safeguards.
Take the case of Samuel D. Tweah, former Minister of Finance; Cllr. Nyanti Tuan, former Acting Minister of Justice; Stanley S. Ford, former Director General of Financial Intelligence; D. Moses P. Cooper, former Financial Intelligence Comptroller; and Jefferson Karmoh, former National Security Advisor to former President George M. Weah.
They were indicted on September 9, 2024. On December 20, 2024, they pleaded not guilty to charges of Economic Sabotage (fraud on the internal revenue of Liberia), misuse of public money, property or records, theft of property, illegal disbursement or expenditure of public money, criminal facilitation, and criminal conspiracy.
In March 2025, Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie denied a motion to dismiss the case. The ruling led to the case going before the full bench of the Supreme Court. On December 18, 2025, the justices denied Tweah's petition for a writ of prohibition. The case is still pending.
In a separate matter, Isaac P. Podah, former President of Lofa County University, was indicted by the 10th Judicial Circuit Court in Voinjama. The indictment came through information provided by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Ministry of Justice. Podah faced charges of economic sabotage, theft of property, misapplication of entrusted funds, criminal conspiracy, conflict of interest, and abuse of office. However, in late December 2025, Podah and three co-defendants were acquitted.
Conclusion: Based on our findings, the information is accurate. US$155 million was allocated to the Ministry of Justice between 2024 and 2026, supported by official budget data.
While the claim that US$155 million was allocated to Liberia's Ministry of Justice between 2024 and 2026 is accurate and supported by official budget records. Additionally, it is correct that no individual has been jailed following a final corruption conviction under President Boakai as of this publication.
However, the absence of convictions does not necessarily indicate inaction or misuse of funds. Multiple high-profile corruption cases are still ongoing within the judicial process, which may typically require significant time to conclude.
Yes, the Ministry of Justice has received about US$155 million over three fiscal years. But the absence of imprisonment for corruption does not automatically indicate inaction. Prosecutions must pass through constitutional and judicial processes beyond the Ministry's sole control.
