MONROVIA, LIBERIA – A Supreme Court ruling in favor of former LISGIS official Wilmot Smith has placed the protection of confidential banking information under intense legal scrutiny, with Ecobank Liberia Limited ordered to pay US$250,000 and two other defendants ordered to pay an additional US$100,000.
The civil judgment emerged from a dispute over the disclosure of financial information belonging to accounts associated with the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services and the reputational consequences that followed.
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, August 27, 2026, that Ecobank Liberia must pay Smith US$250,000 in special damages. Activist Martin K.N. Kollie and former LISGIS Deputy Director General Alex M. Williams were each ordered to pay Smith US$50,000 in general damages.
Together, the awards total US$350,000.
The judgment represents a major reversal of the outcome reached in the lower court and raises important questions about how financial institutions protect sensitive information and the extent of institutional responsibility when confidential banking data is disclosed.
Smith, who previously served as Deputy Director General for Information Coordination at LISGIS, had accused Ecobank and other defendants of contributing to damage to his reputation following the circulation of information concerning LISGIS bank accounts.
The controversy centered on allegations that approximately US$1.7 million intended for census enumerators had been unlawfully withdrawn or diverted.
Smith denied wrongdoing and argued that the public allegations were fueled by improperly obtained banking information.
His case alleged that sensitive information was accessed within Ecobank and subsequently passed to Williams before becoming part of broader public discussions.
The bank disputed the allegations and maintained that the employee accused of accessing the information acted without authorization and outside the scope of his duties.
Ecobank further argued that because the accounts belonged to LISGIS and the Government of Liberia, rather than Smith personally, he should not have been entitled to claim damages based on their disclosure.
The Supreme Court nevertheless found the bank liable for failing to put adequate safeguards in place to protect confidential banking information.
That finding is among the most consequential elements of the ruling.
It means the Court did not accept the position that the alleged unauthorized conduct of an employee necessarily relieved the financial institution of responsibility for protecting confidential customer information.
The decision therefore has significance for the wider banking sector, where customers entrust institutions with information that can carry serious financial, professional and reputational consequences if improperly disclosed.
The dispute began against a politically and institutionally sensitive backdrop.
In 2022, public questions emerged concerning LISGIS accounts and funds associated with Liberia’s national census. Kollie publicly raised concerns over the handling of millions of dollars, including an allegation that more than US$2.3 million had been deposited into a LISGIS account.
The allegations generated significant public discussion and contributed to controversy surrounding LISGIS leadership.
Smith and Williams were subsequently removed from their government positions in November 2022 by former President George Manneh Weah.
Smith later argued that the allegations and disclosure of banking information had harmed his reputation and employment prospects.
He eventually filed an Action of Damages for Wrong by Attachment and initially sought US$700,000 in compensation.
The litigation became protracted.
The case reached the Civil Law Court, where proceedings included disputes over whether Ecobank should be held responsible for the alleged conduct of its employee.
Ecobank attempted to involve LISGIS and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning as parties, arguing that the accounts at issue belonged to the Government of Liberia. The lower court rejected the request.
The matter proceeded through further legal challenges before Smith appealed to the Supreme Court.
His appeal questioned aspects of the lower court proceedings, including the handling of evidence, alleged jury irregularities and the legal principle that can make an employer responsible for certain wrongful acts committed by an employee.
The Supreme Court ultimately rejected the lower-court trajectory and entered the substantial damages awards in Smith’s favor.
The US$250,000 against Ecobank was awarded as special damages, while Kollie and Williams were each assessed US$50,000 in general damages.
