President Joseph Boakai has appointed the Dean of the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia, Jallah A. Barbu, as the new Executive Director of the Liberia War and Economic Crimes Court (LWECC).
This significant appointment, announced by the Office of the President on Friday, marks a critical step in Liberia’s ongoing quest for justice and accountability for war-related and economic crimes.
Barbu was appointed Executive Director following a thorough vetting process conducted by a specially designated committee thus replacing Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi.
With nearly 20 years of legal experience, Cllr. Barbu is a respected figure in Liberia’s legal landscape, known for his integrity and expertise in shaping the nation’s legal framework.
Cllr. Barbu has held prestigious positions, including Secretary General of the Liberia National Bar Association and Chairperson of the Law Reform Commission and played a pivotal role in initiatives leading to the establishment of the Special War and Economic Crimes Tribunal, underscoring his commitment to addressing Liberia’s complex historical issues.
In addition to his legal practice, Cllr. Barbu is an Associate Professor at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, where he has spent over a decade educating future legal minds and contributing foundational texts across various disciplines.
His insights are frequently sought by government bodies focused on vital reforms and legislation.
The President expressed confidence in Cllr. Barbu’s leadership, emphasizing his dedication to justice and the state. “I urge you to uphold the values of diligence, commitment, integrity, professionalism, and loyalty in your new role,” President Boakai stated, highlighting the importance of Barbu’s leadership in advancing the court’s mission.
The appointment has been met with widespread approval among legal experts and the public, who are optimistic that Cllr. Barbu’s extensive experience will strengthen the court’s ability to tackle long-standing issues of justice and accountability.
His leadership is seen as a reaffirmation of Liberia’s commitment to addressing its past, particularly in the face of ongoing complexities surrounding war and economic crimes.
As Cllr. Barbu begins his tenure as the ED of LWECC, both the legal community and the public will be watching closely, hopeful that his experience and dedication will bring renewed momentum to the court’s essential mission Cllr. Massaquoi was appointed as the Executive Director of the Office of War Crimes Court by President Boakai on May 2, 2024 following his signatory to an Executive Order to establish the Office of a War and Economic Crimes Court, empowering the office to investigate, design, and prescribe the methodology, mechanisms, and the processes for the establishment of a Special War Crimes Court, as well as a National Anti-Corruption Court for Liberia.
The conflicts between 1989 and 2003 resulted in the death of more than 250,000 people, however bringing to book warlords and their financiers have been a challenge for successive governments before the election of President Boakai.
In his appointment letter, the Liberian leader asserted that he is pleased to appoint Cllr. Massaquoi as Executive Director of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court, consistent with the Executive Order establishing this office and called on Cllr. Massaquoi to expedite the full implementation of the Executive Order.
The President stated, “As you are aware, the establishment of this office and the setting up of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia represent an historic milestone in the fight against corruption and impunity in this country. I am convinced that combating these corrosive practices in our society will contribute to peace, sustainable development and prosperity of our country. You are therefore, expected to use your best effort to ensure the success of this initiative,”
President Boakai said he trusted Cllr. Massaquoi to carry out his duties with utmost diligence, dedication, and loyalty to the country. Civil war broke out in this small West African nation— Liberia in 1989 by disenchanted Liberians headed by former warlord now convicted criminal—Charles Taylor.
Boakai’s action was greeted by a massive endorsement from Liberians who elected him as President as the signing Executive Order #131 to constitute the office of War Crimes happened during his first 100 days, thereby sending shocked into the entire world.
The United States has firmly expressed supports for Liberia’s establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court and expressed its readiness to assist all Liberians as it moves forward.
U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for global Criminal Justice, Beth Van Schaack, congratulated President Joseph Boakai on signing Executive Order #131 to open the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia and pledges the United States’ support in ensuring that perpetrators of war crimes in Liberia are brought to justice.
But one group that rejected Massaquoi’s appointment was the Coalition for Justice in Liberia (“CJL”) that wrote the office of the President expressing its concern regarding the appointment of Massaquoi to lead Liberia’s War and Economic Crimes Court Office.
Th CJL said based on information that has surfaced since the appointment of Mr. Massaquoi, it respectfully called on the President to rescind the appointment immediately.
The group reminded the President that the important office of WECC Republic of Liberia should be headed by an attorney whose character and professional reputation are above reproach.
“The leader of this office ideally should be a lawyer who is respected domestically, regionally, and internationally. Ideally, that person should know international law, and be familiar with other war crimes tribunals,” the group told President Boakai.
The CJL noted, “From all indications, Mr. Massaquoi doesn’t possess any of the referenced traits. Mr. Massaquoi has not practiced law outside the Liberian judicial system, which has questionable ethics. Beyond this, he has no known expertise in international law.”
“In addition, Mr. Massaquoi has an insurmountable conflict of interest, which prevents him from ethically representing the War and Economic Crimes Court Office. Mr. Massaquoi previously represented Mrs. Agnes Taylor, wife of convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor and other actors of war/economic crimes in Liberia. In that representation, Mr. Massaquoi sued Liberian war victims and Liberian human rights advocates on behalf of Mrs. Agnes Taylor,” the group recounted.
They believed that Mr. Massaquoi’s representation of Mrs. Taylor and other alleged war actors like notorious Sierra Leonean war commander, Gibril Massaquoi, is in direct conflict with his proposed work for the WECC.
The group outlined that the Office of WECC will coordinate, aid, and participate in bringing charges against Liberian warlords in the Taylors, their associates, and other individuals who economically benefited from the Liberian Civil Wars, and/or committed crimes against the Liberian people.
“The WECC appointment calls on Mr. Massaquoi to represent the interests of his previous opponents in the same or similar matter against the interests of his previous clients; Mrs. Agnes Taylor, Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor and more. Pursuant to both the Liberian Rules of Professional Responsibility and the internationally accepted Model Rules of Professional Responsibility, Mr. Massaquoi has a conflict of interest and should be immediately removed from the position of WECC director,” the group maintianed.
Besides this obvious conflict, CJL believes that the appointment of Mr. Massaquoi casted doubts on Boakia administration’s commitment to the WECC process adding that there is an appearance that Mr. Massaquoi was appointed solely to undermine the effectiveness of the WECC.
The WECC recently issued a press release comparing the appointment of Mr. Massaquoi to the appointment of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court. The comparison is not reasonable or remotely apt. According to the rules of ethics, Justice Brown is barred from participating in or rendering judicial opinions in matters in which she previously served as legal counsel for a party. To do so is a conflict of interest. If the same rules were to be applied to the WECC, Mr. Massaquoi would be immediately barred from holding this position, due to his past representation of Mrs. Taylor. To this end, CJL finds the WECC’s comparison between the appointment of Justice Brown Jackson and Mr. Massaquoi to be misplaced, and sadly misleading.
We are equally concerned by the comparison of Mr. Massaquoi’s appointment to that of Karim Admah Kahn, as Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. As Chief Prosecutor of the ICC, Mr. Kahn did not in any way participate in matters related to the Special Court for Sierra Leone, where he previously represented Charles Taylor. During his entire tenure at the ICC, Mr. Kahn’s office did not handle any matter relating to the Sierra Leonean atrocities. Even if such a matter had surfaced before the ICC, Mr. Kahn would not have directly or indirectly participated in its litigation. Thus, the comparison is not accurate or fair.
President Boakai, Mr. Massaquoi’s appointment will likely sow seeds of discord, and contribute to disunity and confrontation. We respectfully request that you reconsider this direction so that the purpose of the WECC is not mooted from the outset.
The CJL respectfully requests a meeting with you, to discuss the concerns raised in this letter and to discuss appropriate leadership for the War and Economic Crimes Court. To this end, we have asked the UN Security Council, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Government of Ghana & the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Republic of South Africa to work with you on this important appointment.
The CJL will not be able to accept Mr. Massaquoi as the leader of the WECC. We are greatly concerned that he will use such a position to protect powerful warlords and their associates. The victims of the Liberian Civil War deserve to be addressed under international law, with the same commitment and dedication demonstrated by similar tribunals elsewhere.
President Boakai, once again, we are grateful to you for your commitment to human rights in Liberia. We remain optimistic and confident that you will act steadfastly to address the concerns of the Liberian Human Rights Community.
