Othello Sarweh Nimely
MONROVIA–More than two decades after the end of Liberia’s civil war, calls for justice for victims and accountability for alleged perpetrators of war and economic crimes remain a major national issue.
Victims, families of those killed and civil society organizations have for years pressured successive Liberian governments to establish a special court to prosecute individuals accused of committing serious crimes during the country’s civil wars.
A major step toward that goal came on May 2, 2024, when President Joseph Nyuma Boakai issued Executive Order No. 131, establishing the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court.
The executive order mandates the establishment of a court to prosecute individuals accused of war and economic crimes committed during Liberia’s civil conflicts.
The proposed legislation has since been submitted to the National Legislature for review and passage into law. However, concerns remain over the financial resources needed to turn the proposed court into a functioning institution.
Speaking on the ongoing process, the Executive Director of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court, Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu, expressed optimism that the bill will soon be passed into law but warned that funding remains a major challenge.
On September 3 in Monrovia, Barbu said passing the legislation alone will not be enough if adequate resources are not provided for the court’s operation.
“If the law is passed, there is no fund to establish the court,” Barbu said.
According to him, there is currently no adequate allocation in the national budget to finance the day-to-day operations of the proposed court.
He explained that the US$1.3 million currently allocated for the establishment of the court cannot be used to operate it.
Barbu is therefore calling on lawmakers to go beyond passing the bill and ensure that sufficient funding is included in the national budget to support the court’s operations.
Barbu also spoke about President Boakai’s expected 2026 address to the United Nations General Assembly, saying he hopes the President will present tangible progress rather than make additional promises concerning the court.
He said if the Legislature passes the bill before President Boakai travels to the UN General Assembly, the President would have a concrete achievement to present to the international community.
According to Barbu, failure to pass the legislation before the President’s UN appearance could mean that the issue remains another promise without concrete action.
The head for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court also stressed the importance of passing the Witness Protection Act, saying it is closely connected to the establishment and successful operation of the court.
He said protecting witnesses, victims and other individuals who may provide evidence will be critical to ensuring that cases before the proposed court can be properly investigated and prosecuted.
Liberia’s civil war, which lasted approximately 14 years across two major conflicts, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 250,000 people, according to widely cited reports.
With the memories of the conflict still fresh for many Liberians, victims and civil society groups continue to push for accountability.
As the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court legislation awaits legislative action, attention is increasingly turning toward whether lawmakers will not only pass the bill but also provide the financial resources necessary to make the long-awaited court a reality.
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