In a sweeping move aimed at preserving the integrity of ongoing investigations, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) has requested the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) to immediately place a temporary travel restriction on more than 20 high-profile individuals linked to alleged acts of corruption and financial misconduct.
In a formal letter dated July 1, 2025, addressed to LIS Commissioner General Elijah F. Rufus, LACC Executive Chairperson Alexandra Korma Zoe stated that the Commission is advancing several “high-priority investigations” and is on the verge of preparing indictments against the individuals involved.
“To safeguard the integrity of these proceedings and prevent flight from jurisdiction,” Zoe wrote, “we respectfully request the assistance of the Liberia Immigration Service in temporarily restricting the departure of the individuals listed… from the Republic of Liberia.”
Among those named in the request are former senior officials of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the Liberia Refugee, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), and key actors in the Gbarpolu Yellow Machine project. The LACC has asked that they be flagged at all official border points, airports, and seaports.
Those barred from traveling include former LTA officials: Abdullah Kamara, former CEO of TAMMA Corporation; Edwina Zackpa, former Chairperson; Maria G. Harrison, former Chairperson; Israel M. Akinsanya, former Commissioner; Ivan G. Brown, former Commissioner; and Hon. Zotawon I. Titus, former Commissioner.
At the LRRRC, the travel restriction affects Executive Director Patrick T. Worzie; Alieu Fofana, Director of Monitoring & Evaluation; Comptroller Joseph Wea; and Jeredine Koleh, Director of the Humanitarian Department.
At NOCAL, the individuals listed include Chief Executive Officer Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis; Comptroller Richmond Jallah; and Edmond K. Massaquoi, IT Technician at the Ministry of Transport.
In relation to the Gbarpolu Yellow Machine case, the LACC has flagged Gbarpolu County Superintendent Sam K. Zinnah; Oumaru Sheriff, Chief Executive Officer of City Lion Incorporated; Hon. J. Keyah Saah, Superintendent of the Gbarpolu Project Management Committee (GPMC); Anthony Yorkor, Fiscal Superintendent of the GPMC; and Robert Benda, Chairman of the GPMC.
In addition to the Immigration Service, the letter was copied to several top-level national security institutions including the Minister of Justice & Attorney General, the Director General of the National Security Agency, the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, and the Executive Director of the Financial Intelligence Agency.
Zoe emphasized the importance of inter-agency collaboration in addressing systemic corruption. “The LACC underscores the vital importance of inter-agency cooperation in our collective efforts to combat corruption and uphold the rule of law,” she stated.
While the LACC did not disclose details of the investigations, sources close to the matter indicate that the affected individuals may face charges ranging from embezzlement and abuse of public office to procurement fraud and gross mismanagement of public resources.
This travel ban request, which effectively grounds several politically connected individuals, comes at a time when the Boakai administration is under increasing pressure to deliver on its promise to fight corruption aggressively and transparently.
“This is a strong signal that no one is above the law,” said a legal analyst who asked not to be named. “But for these actions to resonate with the public, the government must ensure that these investigations result in actual prosecutions and not just political theater.”
With indictments said to be imminent, all eyes are now on the LACC, the Ministry of Justice, and the courts to see whether these cases will mark a turning point in Liberia’s long struggle against corruption—or fade into the background as has happened so many times before.
The LIS is yet to release an official statement confirming implementation of the travel ban, but a source within the agency said all necessary systems are being activated to enforce the restriction at all exit points.
