MONROVIA — As he mounted the podium to deliver his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. reiterated his administration’s commitment to the establishment and full support to the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia.
By Emmanuel Weedee-Conway
In consonance with Article 58 of the Liberian Constitution, the Liberian leader on Monday, January 26, 2026 – same being the fourth working Monday, to deliver his third SONA.
In a renewed vow, the Liberian leader described justice as a necessary pillar for national reconciliation and lasting peace, stressing that the Office for the War and Economic Crimes Court (OWECC) has completed draft legislation and is prepared to submit the proposed laws for legislative consideration.
He pointed out that reconciliation must go hand in hand with accountability for atrocities and economic crimes committed during Liberia’s civil conflict.
“We are considering a Reconciliation Commission and have established the Office for the War and Economic Crimes Court, which has completed draft laws for your review. Reconciliation, however, does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean abandoning justice. True reconciliation must include justice to ensure lasting peace for Liberia,” President Boakai told lawmakers and an array of government officials, members of the diplomatic corps and citizens.
Ever since the cessation of Liberia’s 14-year civil war, there have been endless calls from victims, civil society groups, and international partners for accountability for war crimes and large-scale economic plunder that devastated the country between 1989 and 2003. While successive administrations have acknowledged the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) recommendations, concrete steps toward have remained elusive.
President Boakai said his government has already taken symbolic and institutional actions to promote national healing, including the dignified reburial of former Presidents William R. Tolbert, Jr. and Samuel K. Doe, Sr., as well as a formal state apology for Liberia’s role in the conflict. However, he emphasized that symbolic gestures alone are insufficient.
The establishment of the Office for the War and Economic Crimes Court, he’s confident, will shift the debate from rhetoric to preparation.
The office has been tasked with developing the legal framework necessary to operationalize the court, which would prosecute individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and major economic crimes linked to the conflict period.
Although President Boakai did not provide a specific timeline for the court’s establishment, his call to the Legislature to review the draft laws suggests that the process may enter a decisive phase in 2026.
In a brief interview with reporters, the Executive Director for the Office for the War and Economic Crimes Court, Cllr. Jallah Barbu, extolled President Boakai’s commitment to ensure justice for war victims.
At the level of the OWECC, he said all is set and in full swing to deliver on the President’s mandate, especially having being captured in the current calendar budget.
