SONA Explainer: Understanding the Statute of Limitations on Corruption Cases

In accordance with Article 58 of the 1986 constitution of Liberia, President Joseph N. Boakai, on Monday, January 23, 2026, told Liberians through the legislature that he has submitted four amendments to remove the existing statute of limitations on corruption cases.

“Mr. Speaker and Honorable Members of the Legislature, I have also submitted four amendments to existing anti-corruption laws, including legislation to address illicit enrichment and to remove the existing statute of limitations on corruption cases,” Baokai informed the legislature. 

Article 58 states: “The President shall, on the fourth working Monday in January of each year, present the administration’s legislative program for the ensuing session, and shall once a year report to the Legislature on the state of the Republic. In presenting the economic condition of the Republic, the report shall cover expenditure as well as income.” 

After the SONA, the House of Representatives' joint committee on Good Governance and judiciary convened a public hearing on January 30, 2026, to review the bill submitted to tighten Liberia’s anti-corruption framework, which includes the statute of limitation of corruption cases.

According to 4.2 of the criminal procedure law of Liberia under the caption Non-capital offenses,” Except as provided in section 4.3 and section 4.4 of this chapter, prosecution for any non-capital offenses shall be subject to the following periods of limitation: 

Also, Section 15.82 under the caption Theft and/or illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money added that, “A person is guilty of a first degree felony, if he: 

To better understand what the law accepts as a felony, we visited Section 15.82 of the Penal Law, Title 26, Liberian Codes Revised.

It defines a felony as a “Theft and/or illegal disbursement and expenditure of public money.” 

The penal law states, “a person is guilty of a first degree felony if he: 

(a) Knowingly fails to render his account or accounts for public money or property as provided by law, said person being an officer, employee, or agent of the Government of Liberia or of any Ministry or Agency thereof or public corporation, having received public money which he is not authorized to retain as salary, pay, or emolument; 

(b) Knowingly takes, misappropriates, converts, or exercises unauthorized control over, or makes an unauthorized transfer of an interest in the property of another or the Government of Liberia, with the purpose of depriving the owner thereof, or purposefully deprives another of his property by deception, or by threat; or 

(c) Knowingly receives, retains, or disposes of property of another or the Government of Liberia which has been stolen, with the purpose of depriving the owner thereof or the Government of Liberia [of such property]. 

Also, Section 50.1 Definition of grades of offenses states, “As used in this title: 

(a) “Offense” means conduct for which a sentence of death or a term of imprisonment or [sic] a fine is authorized. 

(b) “Crime” means a felony or misdemeanor. 

(c) “Infraction” means an offense for which a sentence of imprisonment is not authorized. An infraction is not a crime, and conviction of an infraction shall not cause any disability or legal disadvantage based on conviction of a criminal offense. (d) “Felony” means an offense for which a sentence of death or a term of imprisonment of more than one year is authorized.”

The Liberian Investigator on April 7, 2025 reported that Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon, a member of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims, and Petitions,  Annual Assembly of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), legislation to extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting corruption-related crimes in Liberia from five to fifteen years.

Dillon, referencing his legislative role, informed the LNBA that the bill proposing the extension has already been submitted and is currently under consideration by the Plenary of the Liberian Senate.

According to him, the proposed bill seeks to amend Chapter 4 of the statute to specifically target non-capital offenses such as corruption. He noted that the current five-year limitation period enables corrupt individuals to escape prosecution.

“You can have all the evidence to prosecute and convict, but after five years, the person walks free under the current law,” he emphasized.

Dillon explained that the new bill includes an important provision: the 15-year limitation period would begin not from the time the crime was committed, but from when it was discovered.

“For example, if I committed a corruption offense at age 20 and the crime was only discovered when I turned 50, the 15-year countdown would start from that point,” he clarified.

He stressed that the current five-year limit often allows public officials to evade accountability once the timeframe expires. “But if there’s a law that allows prosecution even years later, it will deter corrupt acts,” he said.

The Senator also called for strong collaborative support for the Judiciary Committee to review and reform existing anti-corruption laws.

Immediately after the president's speech, the Law Reform Commission Chairman, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah on Friday, January 30, 2026, told the House Committee on Good Governance and Judiciary that the four anti-corruption amendments before the Legislature form a single, integrated package to modernize Liberia’s anti-graft regime, close long-standing loopholes, and align national law with international standards.

He appeared at a public hearing alongside the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Governance Commission (GC), and the Office of the Ombudsman, Cllr. Varmah said the LRC’s core mandate is to keep Liberia’s laws under constant review and recommend reforms where statutes have become “obsolete, weak, or ineffective.” 

He argued the four bills—validated by stakeholders, reviewed by the Executive, and forwarded by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai—directly address gaps that have hampered prosecutions, asset recovery, and public trust.

“Taken together, these reforms strengthen substance, procedure, and institutions,” Varmah told lawmakers. “They send a clear message that corruption will not be shielded by technicalities—and that illicit wealth can and will be traced, restrained, and returned to the people.”

The Stage Media contacted Lawrence Yealue, executive director of the Accountability Lab, to understand what the removal of statutes of limitations for corruption cases meant for the country's efforts in combating corruption. 

Yealue described the executive action as the right direction for Liberia's fight against corruption, but expressed fear about the passage of the bill by the legislature.

"But the Legislature will find it difficult to pass this. It would be a great development if they did, it would be a great surprise, but it would be welcomed," he said. 

 We contacted Deanna Seakor,  LACC Public Relations Officer, on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, to understand how the amendment addresses corruption in the country. 

Seakor requested our reporter to give her a reminder call on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 11:00 A.M to do a follow-up with her boss, which we did. 

The requested call was made, and Seakor promised to call back, but she did not; a follow-up call was made, and Ethel Tweh promised to provide the information. 

Late Thursday, Seakor called and requested that a text message be sent with the following details: the fact-checker's name, institution, and the inquiry needed to respond to. 

The requested communication was sent immediately. On Friday, February 6, 2026, a follow-up call was made by our researcher, and again Seakor promised to provide the update, but did not.  

This story will be updated when the communication office of LACC provides the update.   

Conclusion: With the existing law, corruption cases after five years, even when there are pieces of evidence; such case case can not be tried, but after the legislation to remove the statute of limitations for prosecuting corruption-related crimes is enacted, the new law will take effect.