The head of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia has expressed sympathy for victims of the country’s civil wars during a three-day fast and prayer organized by the Women of Liberia at the Invisible Park in Monrovia.
Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu said listening to the testimonies of victims from across Liberia would help people understand the true essence of establishing the War and Economic Crimes Court, particularly the need to ensure justice and accountability for those who suffered during the conflict.
He blamed the Legislature for the delay in establishing the court, expressing concern over what he described as a lack of progress in advancing the process despite the importance of the issue to war victims.
Barbu maintained that the experiences and suffering of victims should serve as a reminder of the urgent need to establish the court and ensure accountability for crimes committed during Liberia’s civil wars.
At the same time, the Office of OWECC-L has clarified the current status of the proposed War and Economic Crimes Court (WECC), following assertions attributed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Richard Nagbe Koon, that the Court has already been established by the Legislature.
The clarification follows a video posting in which House Speaker Koon is seen informing the President and representatives of the Federation of Liberian Youth on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while receiving a petition from the FLY calling for the speedy passage of the WECC and NACC Bills currently before the House of Representatives and Senate.
Responding to Mr. Duku Jallah’s appeal for the speedy enactment of the courts, Speaker Koon stated that the Legislature has already passed the War Crimes Court legislation, and as proof, he referenced Dr. Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu as heading the court.
“As my memory can set me right, we have passed the War Crimes Court, and if the War Crimes Court wasn’t passed, we couldn’t have had Dr. Barbu there as Executive Director; it was passed before I could even become Speaker.”
But in hisreaction to the speaker’s statement, Cllr. Barbu said while OWECC-L appreciates the cooperation, engagement, and coordination demonstrated by the Legislature in the ongoing transitional justice process, the Office says that the Speaker’s information that the War Crimes Court has already been established is not the case; rather, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai issued Executive Order Number 131 establishing the OWECC-L and, in October 2024, appointed Dr. Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu as Executive Director to lead the establishment of the WECC and NACC.
OWECC-L clarified that the Legislature has before them the Harmonized WECC and NACC Bills submitted by OWECC-L in September based on the instruction of both Houses. “Those Bills as far as the country is informed, are being reviewed by the Legislature. Therefore, they have not been passed into law.”
OWECC-L believes is prompting civil society organizations, victims and survivors support groups, religious institutions, FLY and other stakeholders to urge the Legislature to act speedily.
The existence of OWECC-L and the appointment of an Executive Director are part of the preparatory and institutional process leading toward the establishment of the Court. They should not, however, be interpreted to mean that the Court itself has already been legally constituted and operationalized.
The Office further emphasizes that the establishment of the WECC requires the completion of the legislative process, including the passage and enactment of the relevant legislation and the establishment of the legal, administrative, judicial and financial mechanisms necessary for the Court to function effectively and independently.
