Justice activists have expressed anger and disappointment at President Joseph Boakai's appointment of Jonathan Massaquoi as head of the Office for War and Economic Crimes Courts for Liberia.
Liberia : Advocates Condemn Pres. Boakai's Pick to Head War Crimes Court Office - Say Relationship With Rebel Faction Leader Will Undermine Public TrustCourt watchers condemned President Boakai’s choice of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, to head Office of the War and Economic Crimes courts.
Advocates said Massaquoi's role representing Reeves-Taylor in defamation lawsuits against justice activists Hassan Bility of the Global Justice and Research Project, former Truth and Reconciliation Commissioner Massa Washington, and Alain Werner, head of the Swiss organization, Civitas Maxima, will taint his independence in the eyes of the public. They said the public would perceive him as likely to protect accused perpetrators from Taylor's faction, the NPFL.
"The activists should support this process to give the leadership the opportunity to do their job. Based on the different work that they do then they can determine whether Cllr. Massaquoi lives up to the terms of reference. They can flag issues if they see the counselor is proceeding wrongly." Bility and Werner's organizations supplied evidence to Finnish authorities that prompted them to bring charges including murder, sexual violence, and the recruitment of child soldiers, against Massaquoi in 2020. Massaquoi had been granted residency in Finland in return for his testimony against Taylor and leaders of the RUF to the Special Court for Sierra Leone.
Jonathan Massaquoi's appointment has also caused concern among international human rights advocates, US authorities and diplomats and comes at a fragile time when the government of Liberia will be seeking an estimated $150m from donors to fund the courts.
News Politics Economy Trade Business Sports Current Events Travel Liberia West Africa Governance Legal And Judicial Affairs Conflict Peace And Security
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Liberia: Rep Smith Welcomes President Boakai's Appointment of War Crimes and Economic Crimes Court HeadPress Release - Appointment comes on heels of Smith hearing
Read more »
Liberia: President Boakai Appoints War Crimes Court DirectorPresident Joseph Boakai has appointed Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi as the Executive Director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
Read more »
Liberia: Boakai's First CasualtiesPresident Joseph Nyumah Boakai has suspended without pay the three most senior officials of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) with immediate effect, barely 24 hours after an altercation among the officials.
Read more »
Liberia: Mamaka Bility's Rising Influence in Boakai Administration Mirrors Familiar Refrain From Weah EraLiberia's political history is often characterized by issues of bad governance, kleptocracy, greed, nepotism and corruption. In more recent years, governance has been defined by borderline dictatorship and outsourcing of the presidency to close and trusted confidants of the leader in power.
Read more »
Liberia: President Boakai Faces Criticism for Absence From AfDB Annual MeetingPresident Joseph Boakai has come under criticism from a segment of the public for his absence at this year's African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meeting, which is being held in Nairobi, Kenya and hosted by Kenya's President William Ruto.
Read more »
Liberia: Boakai-Led Government Fumbles Over Yellow Machines ScandalThe Boakai-Koung administration has backtracked on its previous announcement about a controversial deal to acquire 285 earthmoving machines for road construction and maintenance.
Read more »