By R. Joyclyn Wea
Cllr. Jerome J. Verdier Sr. leading human rights activist and environmental lawyer in Liberia has called on the incoming government of Joseph Boakai, President-elect to ensure stronger and religious law on corruption in Liberia.
"We realize that there will be a need for new laws, there is a need for stronger laws against corruption and we are looking forward to the incoming government to cooperate with us on that to ensure that there are very stronger laws which include the establishment of fast-track anti-corruption court that there will not be the usage delay that goes on in court," he said.
Verdier is the former Chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of Liberia. His call for a rigorous law and specialized corruption court to fast-track issue of corruption is predicated on officials of government placed under corruption, human rights abuse, and travel restriction by the American Government between the period of 2005 to 2023.
Speaking on the Spoon nighttime show on the major impact these sanctions going to have on Liberia, Verdier said the Americans are only partnering with Liberians in Liberia to ensure that there are measures against corruption as the menace is undermining everything good about our country and because of that things have gone very bad.
"The sanction goes deep, there is a responsibility on the part of the incoming government to ensure that there is a credible prosecution of these people who will be sanctioned because it is a product of the credible investigation, the facts and evidence are there and the Liberian Government can initiate its investigation to compliment what we have been doing," Verdier pointed out.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He said sanction does bit, until you are sanctioned you don't know, but those who are sanctioned are the ones who feel the brunt of the sanction. They are targeting it, not the entire country, and all of us should get to feel the pain of it.
"Sanctions are meant to change behaviors, we cannot continue this endlessly from one government to another since 2005, sanctions have been going on and we have been complaining about it, we've been naming and shaming people," Verdier added.
Cllr. Verdier noted that the government has a leading role to play in ensuring that there is a change of attitude and that is ensuring that there is a naming and shaming regime to hold people accountable.
Verdier disclosed his decision to come back to Liberia soon to ensure that there will be prosecution and that his team completes investigations in cases where the investigation may not have been completed satisfactorily and the perpetrator will have to be brought to justice.
"The message that we are sending is for all of those who are coming into government. Be aware that our team is on the ground, be aware that we will single you out, and be aware that if the government does not prosecute civil society is going to be prosecuting the actions of people in government to ensure that people are accountable. He further "You have corruption you have impunity you need accountability to counter injustices that are eating up the very fabric of our society," the Liberian lawyer among other things stated.
