The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) has joined national stakeholders in pressing for the swift establishment and operationalization of Liberia’s Specialized National Anti-Corruption Court, describing it as essential to protecting democratic governance and ensuring sustainable development.
Speaking at the National Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue in Monrovia, PUL President Julius Kanubah emphasized that the creation of the court must be treated as a collective legacy by all branches of government. He urged President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, House Speaker Richard Koon, Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, and the Supreme Court to prioritize the measure.
“The Press Union of Liberia calls on national leaders to make the establishment of the National Anti-Corruption Court their collective legacy,” Kanubah said. “Any attempt to stall its creation would be a betrayal of future generations.”
Kanubah warned that corruption has long undermined Liberia’s progress, entrenching poverty, eroding human security, and weakening the rule of law. He recalled the country’s painful history, where corruption fueled civil war, deepened public distrust, and even led to brutal executions under military dictatorship.
While acknowledging recent steps by the Boakai administration — including suspensions, dismissals, and prosecutions of officials — Kanubah said the pace of reform remains slow.
He cautioned that failure to operationalize the court by December 2026 could allow political calculations ahead of the 2029 elections to derail the effort.
President Boakai submitted a bill to the Legislature in May 2026 to establish the specialized court, following nationwide consultations led by the Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court (OWECC-L).
Kanubah explained that the court would serve as a cornerstone for effective prosecution of corruption cases, restore public trust in governance and institutions, and safeguard public funds to strengthen the foundation for sustainable development.
Echoing former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s metaphor that “corruption is a vampire,” Kanubah declared: “The Specialized National Anti-Corruption Court must become Liberia’s Anti-Corruption Vampire. It will drain corruption of its lifeblood, ensuring that impunity no longer stalks our institutions and that justice prevails over exploitation.”
The National Anti-Corruption Policy Dialogue was convened by the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL), in partnership with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and OWECC-L, with support from the Embassy of Ireland.
The event, held at the Boulevard Palace in Sinkor, brought together prominent voices including former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Ambassador Gerad Considine of Sweden, Cllr. Dr. Jallah Barbu, Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe, Cllr. Alexandra Zoe of the LACC, Mr. Christian Mukosa of the UN Office for Human Rights, Mr. Lawrence Yealue of the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, Cllr. Bendu Kpoto of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia, Mr. Matthew Kollie of the Governance Commission, and Madam Lorpu Page of the Independent Information Commission.
