Published: September 24, 2025
MONROVIA — A comprehensive audit of the Judiciary’s workforce in Montserrado County has revealed troubling irregularities, including employees without requisite academic qualifications, misplaced staff, and a controversial dual payroll system that contravenes Liberian law.
The Civil Service Agency (CSA), acting at the request of Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. presented the partial report Tuesday at the Temple of Justice, calling for urgent reforms to restore transparency and integrity in the country’s justice sector.
“This exercise is about accountability, meritocracy, and rebuilding public trust in the Judiciary,” CSA Director-General Josiah F. Joekai Jr. said. “The findings underscore systemic weaknesses that must be corrected immediately if the courts are to function effectively and credibly.”
Startling Findings
The week-long verification covered 674 employees across the Montserrado judiciary. Of that number, 426 staff members, about 63 percent, presented authentic and verifiable academic credentials. Another 56 cases, representing 8 percent, involved questionable or unverifiable documents now under third-party investigation. The audit further revealed that 92 staff have no academic qualifications, while 243 hold only high school diplomas, raising serious concerns about competence in technical or administrative posts. In addition, 150 employees were deemed misplaced in their roles, and 40 were found underqualified for their current assignments.
High school graduates dominate the judiciary’s staff, while only 42 employees hold postgraduate degrees. Ninety-two workers have no formal qualifications, despite being on the payroll.
Payroll Controversy
One of the most serious revelations is the existence of a dual payroll system. The CSA confirmed that it manages the official taxable payroll under the Remuneration and Standardization Act of 2019. At the same time, the Judiciary and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning jointly operate a non-taxable parallel payroll. The report said this practice contravenes statutory law and undermines accountability in public finance, recommending that all employees be immediately transferred to the CSA-managed system.
Attendance and Discipline
The audit also uncovered troubling attendance patterns. A total of 127 employees had salaries deducted for repeated absences, while 22 were suspended and 63 dismissed for attendance-related issues. In total, nearly 40 percent of the workforce faced penalties for poor attendance. CSA officials warned that without biometric or electronic sign-in systems, ghost workers and abuse of attendance rules could persist, eroding accountability in one of Liberia’s most sensitive institutions.
Gender and Retirement Gaps
The Judiciary’s workforce reveals that men make up 70 percent of employees, compared to 30 percent women. The age profile is equally worrying. Eleven percent of staff are already at or above retirement age, while another 22 percent will reach retirement within ten years, risking loss of institutional knowledge unless succession plans are established.
CSA technicians reported resistance and even intimidation from some Judiciary employees during the audit. Poor recordkeeping, incomplete personnel files, and the absence of a standardized HR system compounded the verification challenges.
Recommendations
The CSA called for a comprehensive package of reforms. It urged the Judiciary to consolidate payroll under the CSA’s taxable system to eliminate irregularities and to suspend or dismiss employees whose documents cannot be verified. It recommended redeploying and reclassifying the 243 high school graduates and 92 unqualified staff, placing them in roles better suited to their educational levels. The agency also suggested blocking the salaries of employees absent for more than 14 days without justification, suspending those absent for one to two weeks, and prorating the salaries of workers absent for less than a week.
Beyond disciplinary measures, the CSA pressed for modernization, including digitization of HR records, introduction of biometric attendance systems, and expanded investment in vocational, technical, and higher education to build a more qualified judiciary workforce.
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