MONROVIA, September 11 — The Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) has dismissed 46 employees for their involvement in fraudulent activities and violations of the LRA’s code of conduct.
At a press briefing on Thursday, September 10, Commissioner General James Dorbor Jallah announced that the terminations came after a three-month internal investigation. “As part of our revenue protection actions, the Liberia Revenue Authority has been compelled to take a tough but necessary decision that reflects our commitment to the institution’s core values of service, teamwork, integrity, and commitment,” Jallah stated.
He explained that the employees were found guilty of defrauding the LRA by submitting fake and falsified insurance claims. The investigation revealed that receipts, allegedly from hospitals such as the John F. Kennedy Medical Center and ELWA Hospital, were verified as fraudulent. The probe also uncovered that one employee within the entity was forging fake receipts for $20.
Jallah noted that LRA employees are entitled to a $75 reimbursement for each medical claim, which can include up to three relatives. He described the dismissal as a difficult but necessary step to protect the authority and safeguard national revenue. “These employees were found to have engaged in unwholesome practices amounting to grave misconduct, leaving us with no alternative but to part ways with them,” he said.
In addition to addressing the fraud, Commissioner Jallah reiterated the LRA’s commitment to introducing more technologies into the revenue sector. These innovations are intended to strengthen transparency, streamline operations, and increase revenue generation.
The LRA is the primary government body responsible for assessing, collecting, and accounting for all national revenues. It administers and enforces revenue laws, promotes a fair tax system, and facilitates legitimate international trade and customs border management.
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