Boakai making mockery of War Crimes Court

Judge Dixon contends that a ‘mere resolution’ passed by members of the House of Representatives cannot be used to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court.

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Monrovia, March 29, 2024: Liberian Circuit Judge Blamo Dixon says President Joseph Nyumah Boakai is mocking the efforts to establish a War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC). 

The Resident Criminal Court “C” Judge in Monrovia delivered a keynote address at a fundraising rally when he publicly criticized the new president’s approach to ensuring that war and economic criminals face justice.

Liberia’s civil war that lasted for over a decade left over 250,000 people dead and millions more displaced.

Properties worth millions of dollars were also destroyed during the civil crisis. Even during peacetime, economic crimes continued in the country with impunity over 20 years since the war ended.

The Boakai administration wants a war and economic crimes court established to ensure that the culprits face the law.

So far, members of the House of Representatives have passed a resolution supporting the effort, and the Senate is reviewing the instrument to decide.

However, Dixon is not comfortable with the approach. According to him, the best thing is to submit a bill to the House of Representatives to pass it into law.

“President Boakai is making a mockery of the Liberian people regarding the establishment of the war and economic crimes court in Liberia like previous governments. A mere resolution cannot establish the War and Economic Crimes Court,” Judge Dixon argued.

He explained that an Act must be submitted to state the scope, functions, and module operandi of the war and economic crimes court.

“The Act will state the composition of the judges’ sitting of the court, salary, allowance, and benefits of judges and officers of the war and economic crimes court,” Judge Dixon noted.

According to him, the President’s action is another form of corruption.

“Corruption is a social menace that is gradually eating the fabric of the Liberian society and needs to be eliminated,” said Judge Dixon. 

“Corruption is not only limited to stealing money. Tribalism, nepotism, and favoritism are all forms of corruption,” he said as students at the fundraising rally applauded him.

Regarding the tenure of public officials, Dixon said that President Boakai was to first cite all tenured position holders to a meeting for their performance report for the time served under the Weah-led administration.

“After that, a way forward can be derived because, under administrative law or the civil service code, you have to dismiss an employee before he or another employee can replace her,” Judge Dixon argued. 

“Two persons cannot do one of the same jobs at the same time or occupy the same office at the same time,” he said.

Judge Dixon served as the keynote speaker on Thursday at the fundraising rally and induction of the leadership-elect of the D. Tweh Memorial High School in New Kru Town on Bushrod Island.