The Witness Protection Agency (WPA) has intensified its engagement with lawmakers, and development partners as Liberia moves to reform laws governing the protection of witnesses, whistleblowers, and victims.
The Agency, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), held a one-day legislative engagement with relevant committees of the Legislature to review proposed amendments to the Witness Protection Act of 2021, and the Whistleblower Protection Act of 2021.
The engagement brought together lawmakers, government officials, anti-corruption institutions, civil society organizations, media representatives, and international development partners to examine weaknesses in the current witness, and whistleblower protection framework.
Witness Protection Agency Director, Teklo Maxwell Grigsby said, the reform process is to build a stronger, and more effective system capable of protecting individuals, who provide critical information, or testimony in criminal investigations, and other sensitive proceedings.
Grigsby noted that although the two laws were enacted in 2021, their passage did not immediately result in a fully functioning Witness Protection Agency.
He said, the institution spent several years without adequate leadership, personnel, resources, and operational systems.
Grigsby: “Progress began in late 2025 following the completion of a recruitment process, and the appointment of the Agency’s director, and deputy director.”
The institution subsequently began recruiting technical, and administrative staff while establishing internal systems, and developing protection programs.
However, Grigsby said, significant challenges remain, particularly the concentration of the Agency’s services in Monrovia.
He said, many citizens in rural Liberia still have limited access to witness protection services despite possessing information that could be crucial to criminal investigations, and national accountability efforts.
The proposed amendments seek to expand the Agency’s mandate to explicitly cover whistleblowers, and strengthen protection mechanisms for witnesses, and victims.
The reforms also seek to introduce tougher penalties against retaliation, and the unlawful exposure of the identities of protected persons.
Other proposals include relocation services, identity protection, psychosocial support, improved digital, and cyber-security safeguards, incentives for credible whistleblowers, and the establishment of a dedicated victim-focused trust fund.
The legislative reform process follows a cabinet directive President Joseph Nyuma Boakai issued on March 25.
The directive called for amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act to encourage reporting, combat smuggling, and strengthen accountability, and transparency, particularly in the mineral sector.
The formal review process began with a high-level technical meeting involving MoJ on May 5. A stakeholder consultation followed, bringing together dozens of institutions, and participants from civil society, the media, government, and development partners.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Nagbe Koon, said the proposed amendments strike at the heart of the Legislature’s constitutional responsibility to enact laws that protect citizens, and strengthen national institutions.
Koon said, corruption, economic crimes, and organized wrongdoings are often exposed by individuals, who witnessed illegal activities, discovered questionable transactions, or possess information that authorities need to pursue justice.
He meanwhile, warned that citizens may remain reluctant to come forward if the State cannot guarantee their safety after they report wrongdoings.
Koon also called for continued involvement from civil society organizations and the media, saying public engagement and constructive criticism would be essential throughout the legislative reform process.
The WPA has emphasized that lawmakers are not being asked to immediately endorse the proposed amendments. Instead, the Agency is seeking rigorous scrutiny, recommendations and further consultation before the draft legislation moves toward formal legislative consideration.
