MONROVIA – The establishment and operations of the War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC) in Liberia is cardinal to last peace in a country that was torn apart by 14-long years of devastation, deaths and destruction of million dollars of properties.
In an engagement last Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Mamba Point at the WECC’s offices with members of the Faith and Justice Network (FJN) in Liberia, Cllr. Dr. Jallah A. Barbu, Executive Director of the WECC in Liberia, disclosed “not a cent has been released” to fund the court in five months, including salaries and rent for the court’s office building. This despite is happening despite an Executive Order from President Joseph Boakai, issued in May 2025 to extend its mandate.
“Everything is being done by dipping into our personal pockets,” he lamented. “This is not sustainable.” Cllr. Dr. Barbu added that the financial constraints are severely undermining the office’s capacity to carry out key preparatory activities leading to the full establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court. He warned that the lack of domestic support is also sending negative signals to international partners.
“Let it be clear,” he averred, “no international partner will agree to pay salaries for our employees. That is the responsibility of the Liberian government.”
He iterated that the government’s inability to meet basic operational needs is damaging the credibility of the initiative and risks derailing momentum in the country’s quest for justice and accountability for atrocities committed during Liberia’s brutal civil conflicts.
In response to Cllr. Dr. Barbu’s request, Bishop Samuel J. Quire, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Faith and Justice Network (FJN) and Bishop of the United Methodist Church of Liberia, expressed concern over the situation and vowed to intervene.
“We will hold discussions with President Joseph Boakai on the urgent need to support this office,” Bishop Quire assured. “Justice cannot be achieved when those tasked with delivering it are left to work without pay.”
The religious leader further announced a number of faith-based initiatives to support the court, including public awareness and psychosocial healing campaigns across the country.
He said the FJN will launch a church-based victims healing initiative, offering spiritual counseling, trauma healing workshops, and group therapy sessions in collaboration with licensed Christian Counselors.
Additionally, he disclosed that the FJN plans to train 60 church leaders to serve as Justice Ambassadors who will act as bridges between the court and local communities to promote trust and understanding.
“We will also engage with international church-based agencies and humanitarian organizations to advocate for both technical and operational support for the War and Economic Crimes Court,” Bishop Quire intoned.
The high-level engagement was attended by a cross-section of prominent religious leaders, including Catholic Archbishop Gabriel Jubwe, Episcopal Bishop Joseph Selee, Reverend Dr. Christopher Toe, and Rev. Kortu Brown, Secretary-General of the Liberia Council of Churches, among others.
The religious leaders expressed solidarity with the court’s mission and emphasized the moral imperative of pursuing justice for war victims.
Cllr. Dr. Barbu, in concluding remarks, urged the religious community to become strong advocates for transitional justice, noting that the War and Economic Crimes Court is not merely a legal structure, but a national healing mechanism.
“Without sustained support, we risk losing an opportunity to set the record straight for generations to come,” he noted.
The appeal comes at a critical time when Liberia is under increased pressure—both locally and internationally—to confront its violent past and uphold the rule of law through the establishment of the long-delayed court.
The news also comes on the heels of an historic win for Liberia. The country was just last month elected to a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. Its claim to relevance in that office: Liberians know how to wage peace.
The formation of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia has been a major concern for Liberians and the international community following 14 years of devasting and brutal civil war. More than 250,000 people were killed according to statistics gathered at the hands of belligerent rebel forces that sought for state power during the war.
At the end of the day, the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed in Ghana by rebel forces and the government of former president Charles agreed to the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which mandate was to reconcile the perpetrators and victims, in the mood of the South African version, but that did not happen in Liberia. At the end of the hearings, the erstwhile TRC recommended the formation of war crimes court for those who committed heinous crimes and crimes against humanity during the war to account for their alleged deeds.
It was hoped that former Presidents Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and George Weah would have implemented the portion of the erstwhile TRC recommendation that called for the setting up of court, but rather chose to play politics around it till they left office.
In the case of current president Joseph Nyuma Boakai, he campaigned on setting up the WECC following his election as president of Liberia, and true to his words he began the process; he signed an Executive Order for the establishment of the court following the signing of a resolution by the 55th Legislature for the court to be set up.
Now the Office of the WECC has been set up, its operations are being stalled due to lack of funding, according to it Executive Director, Cllr. Dr. Jallah A. Barbu, who is now appealing for help to ensure the operations of the WECC office. Will President Boakai administration lives up to its campaign promise or repeat the same old politics of former President Sirleaf and Weah, who ignored the formation of the court due to their own political interests. Liberians and international community are watching keenly.
