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Claim: A Facebook user, Torkpa Korkoryiza, has alleged that the Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), Josiah F. Joekai, admitted that $48 million from a payroll reform exercise is missing.
Verdict: False! The CSA Director General did not admit that $48 million is missing from the payroll reform exercise. Contrary to the claim, Joekai categorically denied the allegation during a Ministry of Information press briefing, describing it as false, diabolical, and part of a smear campaign.
Full Text
A Facebook user, Tokpah Korkoryiza, has alleged that Josiah F. Joekai, the Director General of the Civil Service Agency (CSA), admitted to the disappearance of $48 million from a national payroll reform initiative.
In a May 22, 2025, post, Tokpah said,
“The CSA boss has agreed and admitted that 48 million USD from the so-called payroll reform has gone missing and is unaccounted for, but his only point of contention is that we who are raising the issue were on some kind of payroll at the House of Representatives.”
The claim has since gone viral in multiple Facebook groups with large followings, including The Closing Argument, Discussing Liberia, and The Costa Show.
Given the virality of the claim, DUBAWA decided to investigate as part of its commitment to combating misinformation and disinformation.
Verification
DUBAWA first contacted the claimant to provide evidence or a source for his claim, but he has yet to respond to our inquiry.
Our research then conducted a thorough search for independent and credible sources to establish whether there is any information from a reputable media institution or ministry in the country that substantiates the claim.
Our search discovered a May 20, 2025, Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs, and Tourism press briefing in which the CSA Director General dismissed the claim.
Speaking between 1:19:02 and 1:19:39 hours in the video, Joekai said:
“I want to tell the Liberian people categorically, no million, no cent got missing. And I am not addressing that situation because there is an issue. It is diabolical. It doesn’t exist.”
He further emphasised that “it is just a smear campaign to taint the character and destroy the reputation of a good public servant working in the interest of this country.”
Conclusion
The allegation that CSA Director General Josiah F. Joekai admitted to the disappearance of $48 million from a payroll reform exercise is false. Public records and statements confirm that no such admission was made. On the contrary, Joekai vehemently denied the claim, describing it as a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation.
