MONROVIA – Witness Protection Agency Executive Director Atty. Teklo Maxwell Grigsby II has unveiled an ambitious reform agenda for Liberia’s whistleblower protection regime. He warned that retaliation against whistleblowers and leaks of confidential investigative information seriously threaten Liberia’s fight against corruption and organized crime. Speaking Thursday at the Information Ministry’s regular press briefing, Grigsby announced plans to seek amendments to the 2022 Whistleblower Act. He said the agency will publicly blacklist any government officials found guilty of retaliating against whistleblowers. Grigsby also disclosed that the agency formally offered witness protection to Emmanuel Porkpa in a major drug trafficking investigation. The government allocated approximately US$800,000 (L$145.9 million) to the agency during its inaugural year, as THE ANALYST’s George C. Flomo reports.
Grigsby reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to protecting individuals who expose corruption and other serious crimes.
He assured Liberians that the government has established secure legal channels through which citizens can confidentially report wrongdoing without fear of victimization, stressing that whistleblowers remain indispensable allies in promoting transparency and accountability.
To illustrate the importance of the law, Grigsby cited the hypothetical case of a government employee who uncovers corruption but fears dismissal or harassment if the information is disclosed.
He explained that the Witness Protection Agency now provides a secure avenue for such individuals to report corruption while protecting their identities and shielding them from retaliation.
Roots in International Law
According to Grigsby, Liberia’s whistleblower protection framework originates from the country’s ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2007, particularly Article 33, which obligates State Parties to adopt measures protecting persons who report corruption-related offenses in good faith. To fulfill that international obligation, Liberia enacted the Whistleblower Act in 2022, making retaliation against whistleblowers a criminal offense.
“If an employer dismisses or punishes someone because that person reported wrongdoing to the appropriate authorities, that action amounts to retaliation and is a crime under Liberian law,” Grigsby emphasized. He noted that the protections apply to workers in both the public and private sectors.
Protection Has Legal Limits
The WPA Director, however, cautioned that legal protection applies only to disclosures made through officially recognized institutions, including the Witness Protection Agency, the Liberia National Police, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and other authorized law enforcement agencies, not through Facebook Live broadcasts, social media posts or other public platforms. He warned that individuals who choose to publicize allegations before reporting them through lawful channels risk forfeiting the legal protections guaranteed under the Whistleblower Act, particularly if the allegations cannot later be substantiated.
Proposed Legal Reforms
Among the reforms under consideration is the introduction of penalties against employers who fail to comply with Section 16 of the Whistleblower Act, which requires every employer to prominently display the law in the workplace. Grigsby noted that while the current legislation imposes that obligation, it contains no sanctions for non-compliance, rendering the provision largely ineffective.
“We intend to ensure there are sanctions for institutions that refuse to comply with the publication requirement,” he said. The agency also plans to convene a national stakeholders’ review involving civil society organizations, the media and other key institutions to identify additional weaknesses requiring legislative amendments.
Retaliators Could Be Blacklisted
Grigsby disclosed that the WPA intends to publicly blacklist government officials found guilty of retaliating against whistleblowers. He cited instances where individuals who cooperated with corruption investigators as state witnesses were allegedly suspended from their jobs shortly afterward.
According to him, the agency has already challenged some of those dismissals as unlawful retaliation and will not hesitate to publicly identify officials who undermine whistleblower protections. “We will blacklist any public official who retaliates against whistleblowers because such conduct undermines transparency and accountability,” he declared.
Warning over Investigation Leaks
Turning to ongoing national investigations, Grigsby strongly criticized the unauthorized leaking of confidential information relating to the reported US$19.2 million (L$3.5 billion) investigation, describing the practice as reckless, unprofessional and potentially dangerous. He warned that premature disclosures compromise criminal investigations, expose witnesses to unnecessary risks and erode public confidence in the justice system.
According to him, the Witness Protection Agency has already issued a public statement calling on government authorities to investigate the source of the leaks and hold those responsible accountable. He maintained that safeguarding the integrity of investigations remains central to the agency’s mandate.
Protection Begins Before Trial
Grigsby clarified that witness protection does not begin in court but starts during the earliest stages of criminal investigations. He explained that Liberia’s Witness Protection Act provides protection during three phases: the investigation and pre-trial stage, throughout court proceedings, and after trial where witnesses continue to face credible threats.
Update on Drug Investigation
Providing an update on one of Liberia’s most closely watched criminal investigations, Grigsby disclosed that the WPA engaged Emmanuel Porkpa, a figure linked to the country’s ongoing drug trafficking investigation, and formally offered him witness protection with the approval of the Ministry of Justice. According to him, Porkpa accepted the arrangement, voluntarily returned to Liberia and subsequently provided investigators with information that led authorities to examine telephone records allegedly linked to convicted drug trafficker Marcus Brown.
Grigsby maintained that investigators have established connections requiring further scrutiny and vowed that authorities remain committed to pursuing everyone implicated in the case. He further revealed that the agency has reached out to another individual identified as Oscar Brown, encouraging him to voluntarily cooperate with investigators under the witness protection framework before any criminal charges are formally filed.
He explained that once prosecutors formally indict an individual, the agency’s pre-trial protection mechanism ends and the matter enters the criminal justice process. Nevertheless, he noted that individuals facing relatively lesser offenses may still become state witnesses if their testimony substantially assists prosecutors in securing convictions against principal offenders, and where appropriate, such cooperating witnesses may again qualify for protection.
Grigsby urged anyone possessing credible information relating to Liberia’s major drug investigations to come forward immediately before prosecutions advance. Those who refuse to cooperate, he warned, could eventually face international legal measures, including extradition proceedings and cooperation through INTERPOL.
Building a Stronger Institution
The WPA Executive Director emphasized that witness protection is not merely a domestic legal responsibility but also an international obligation arising from Liberia’s commitments under both the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and the Convention Against Torture, which require governments to protect witnesses and victims from intimidation and reprisals. Established under the 2022 Witness Protection Act, the WPA operates as an autonomous government institution, working closely with the Ministry of Justice in criminal prosecutions and the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission on corruption-related investigations.
Responding to questions during the briefing, Grigsby acknowledged that one of the agency’s biggest operational challenges remains the shortage of professionally trained protection officers. Although the agency has recruited new personnel, many remain in specialized training, forcing the WPA to depend heavily on officers from the Liberia National Police, the National Security Agency and other security institutions.
He noted that the arrangement has created operational limitations because officers from different institutions operate under varying standard operating procedures, making it difficult for the agency to fully implement its own protection protocols. Grigsby said the WPA is working to establish a witness protection system that not only guarantees security but also safeguards the rights, dignity and freedoms of protected witnesses.
Expansion Plans
Despite the challenges, Grigsby praised the Government of Liberia for allocating approximately US$800,000 (L$145.9 million) to the agency during its inaugural year, describing the funding as a solid foundation upon which the institution can expand. The agency currently employs 65 young professionals and plans to recruit approximately 45 additional protection officers and psychosocial counselors in 2027 to improve nationwide coverage and strengthen operational capacity.
He encouraged qualified Liberians to consider careers in witness protection, describing the profession as demanding but deeply patriotic. While acknowledging that the work often places officers in dangerous situations, Grigsby said the agency offers competitive compensation, a supportive work environment and opportunities for meaningful public service, while emphasizing that discipline, professionalism and sound personal security practices remain indispensable.
Independent Appointment Process
Grigsby also recounted the competitive recruitment process that brought him to the position. He explained that thirteen candidates competed following a public advertisement before undergoing interviews and professional assessments conducted by a multi-institutional vetting panel comprising representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights and the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia.
Three finalists were subsequently forwarded to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who nominated him for Senate confirmation. Grigsby said his three-year contractual tenure was deliberately structured to safeguard the independence of the office, allowing the agency to discharge its responsibilities free from political interference.
He disclosed that the Witness Protection Agency currently operates from the European Union Building, opposite the Ministry of Justice in Monrovia. The office, he added, remains open to receiving confidential reports from citizens seeking legal protection while assisting law enforcement authorities in combating corruption and other serious crimes.