By Lincoln G. Peters
MONROVIA, Liberia, August 9, 2026 — Liberia’s Witness Protection Agency (WPA) says sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases are among its priority areas, with protection available to witnesses, victims and whistleblowers who face threats or intimidation for cooperating with investigators and prosecutors.
WPA Director General Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II said the Agency’s mandate extends beyond corruption, drug trafficking and organized crime to include SGBV cases, where victims and witnesses can face significant risks for coming forward.
Speaking at the Responsible Citizens Justice Program (RCJP) under the Ministry of Justice, Grigsby said the WPA is legally required to protect witnesses, victims and whistleblowers who cooperate with criminal investigations and prosecutions.
He said protection may also be extended to family members depending on the level of threat or risk associated with a case.
“We concentrate our efforts mostly on cases involving sexual and gender-based violence, corruption, drug trafficking, and organized crime, where those who tell the truth too often face intimidation, threats, and retaliatory actions,” Grigsby said.
According to him, the Agency provides physical security, protects the confidentiality of people considered at risk, facilitates relocation where necessary and supports witnesses before, during and after trials.
Grigsby said effective witness protection is critical to successful criminal prosecutions because cases often depend on the willingness of victims and witnesses to provide evidence and testify in court.
“Every conviction of a rapist, every prosecution of a corrupt official, and every case brought against a criminal defendant rests on the weight of the evidence,” he said, adding that citizens’ willingness to come forward and testify is a cornerstone of the justice system.
He warned that intimidation and fear could prevent witnesses from cooperating with authorities, potentially weakening criminal cases and allowing perpetrators to escape accountability.
According to the WPA Director General, when witnesses are afraid to testify, prosecutors can face difficulties proving cases beyond a reasonable doubt, which can undermine public confidence in the justice system.
Grigsby said the WPA is intended to reduce those risks by ensuring that individuals who make disclosures or provide testimony receive protection under the Witness Protection Act of 2021 and the Whistleblower Act of 2021.
He said strengthening public understanding of the justice system could also encourage more Liberians to report crimes and cooperate with investigators.
“We enable ordinary Liberians to do an extraordinary thing — to stand for the truth without standing alone,” Grigsby said.
He described the Responsible Citizens Justice Program as important to strengthening public understanding of the justice system, respect for the rule of law and citizens’ willingness to participate in judicial processes.
“When citizens understand justice, they come to value it, and when they value it, they come forward; when they come forward, protect them, and when we protect them, justice is done,” he said.
Grigsby said the WPA will continue working to ensure that victims, witnesses and whistleblowers can cooperate with authorities without being left exposed to intimidation or retaliation.
