Monrovia, Liberia- A leaked document in possession of this paper shows that employees of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court have gone unpaid for five (5) consecutive months.
The lack of funding has crippled operations, demoralized employees, and raised serious questions about the government’s commitment to justice and accountability.
“Work enthusiasm has drastically diminished at the OWECC-L due to lack of salaries. We are literally struggling,” the leaked documents revealed.
The Minister of Justice later confirmed on OK FM that the OWECC-L is struggling.
“The relationship between the Ministry of Justice and the Office for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia is wonderful. You see, the thing is, finding the resources; the government has allocated a significant amount for them to be placed in the system. But we all know that this government, on its own, will be unable financially see about that office,” Cllr. Tweh noted.
The financial crisis reportedly stems from a breakdown in coordination and support between the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), and the Ministry of State (MOS).
These three critical ministries, sources say, have failed to disburse allocated funds, effectively stalling the court’s foundational work.
The Executive Director of OWECC-L is said to be deeply embarrassed and frustrated by the ongoing situation, and reportedly voiced his dismay during the 13th edition of the Liberia-EU Dialogue earlier this month.
Key facts about the leaked document:
According to the leaded documents, employees have not been paid since January 2025, amounting to five months of unpaid salaries.
The balance of a $500,000 allocation made under the previous administration of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi was never fully transferred to the current administration.
The leaked document stated that although Executive Order No. 131-which authorized funding for the court—was renewed as Executive Order No. 148 on April 30, 2025, with a $2 million allotment payable in quarterly tranches of $500,000, the OWECC-L has not received a single dollar from this renewed funding.
As a result, the office is now unable to procure basic goods and services, and the living conditions of its staff have become “unbearable.”
With operational funds frozen and staff morale at rock bottom, the War and Economic Crimes Court-once heralded as a key step in Liberia’s path toward justice—now appears dead on arrival.
One radio regular caller on the OK Morning Rush on Tuesday, (James) not his real name, while phoning in on the show expressed his frustration, stating that the delay is an institutional sabotage.
“This is not just a delay; it’s an institutional sabotage. The President has shown political will, but elements within the government are clearly undermining this policy,” he stated.
President Joseph Boakai has repeatedly expressed support for the establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court as part of a broader push for justice and reconciliation.
But without financial support and inter-ministerial coordination, that vision may remain unrealized.
As Liberia continues to grapple with its war-time legacy, the silence from key government ministries and the failure to fund the very office tasked with delivering justice cast a troubling shadow over the country’s democratic and human rights commitments.
