MONROVIA — The Lutheran Church in Liberia's Trauma Healing and Reconciliation Program (LCL-THRP) convened more than 80 security officers, legal experts, students, clergy, and community representatives for a national "Access to Justice" conference, spotlighting Liberia's widening justice challenges and the progress being made toward long-promised reforms.
The one-day forum, held under the theme "Liberty and Justice for All," forms part of the Civil Peace Service 963 Mano River Project, supported by Bread for the World-Germany. Attendees included personnel from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), corrections officers, returning migrants, self-identified former drug users, and community leaders.
Founded in 1998, LCL-THRP has long served as one of the Lutheran Church's central peacebuilding and psychosocial rehabilitation programs, helping communities recover from war trauma and cycles of violence.
Program Director Rev. F. Philip L. Nushann Jr. told participants that the initiative continues to support marginalized groups, including returning migrants and young people battling addiction, while collaborating with state actors and civil society to strengthen the justice system.
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Keynote speaker Cllr. Dr. Jallah A. Barbu, Executive Director of the Office for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court (OWECC), said Liberia has made "significant progress" since President Joseph Nyuma Boakai issued Executive Order 131 creating the offices responsible for setting up a hybrid War and Economic Crimes Court and a Special Anti-Corruption Court.
Barbu announced that draft laws establishing both courts are nearly complete and will soon be submitted to the president for onward transmission to the Legislature.
"The courts will be established, operationalized, indict individuals, and conduct trials in this country," he said, stressing that accountability must be pursued within Liberia's borders.
Barbu noted that the court process will help restore Liberia's international credibility, deliver justice to victims, and offer accused persons the opportunity to clear their names. He praised President Boakai's "courage and political will" and said international partners remain committed to supporting the initiative.
He emphasized, however, that the process must be nationally driven.
"This should not be a Monrovia process," Barbu said. "Liberians across the country must take ownership.
Speaking on behalf of AFL Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Davidson Forleh, Atty. 1st Lt. Francis Wesseh warned that declining public confidence in the justice system fuels violence and unrest.
"When citizens lose trust in the justice system, violence and consistent demonstrations become pervasive," he said.
Wesseh outlined the AFL's expanded role in reconstruction, disaster response, and community support, stressing that the military remains bound by the rule of law.
"No soldier is above the law of Liberia," he said.
He cited major barriers to justice, including limited access in rural areas, rising mob violence, drug addiction, and weak interagency coordination, and called for stronger civilian-security partnerships nationwide.
DCP Fitzgerald T. M. Biago, Officer-in-Charge of the LDEA, highlighted recent enforcement gains but warned that drug use among young people remains a growing national threat.
Speaking on "Combating Drugs and Mob Violence," Biago announced that the agency is working with partners to roll out mandatory drug testing in all high schools, a declaration that drew strong applause from students.
"This generation has to be saved from drugs," he said.
Assistant Justice Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation Atty. Gabriel F. Ndupellar described Liberia's prison system as being in a state of emergency due to extreme overcrowding driven primarily by prolonged pre-trial detention.
As of November 26, 2025, Liberia's 16 prison facilities held 3,697 inmates--2,469 of them pre-trial detainees, representing 66.7 percent of the total population.
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He called the situation "disastrous," attributing it to clogged dockets, inadequate numbers of judges, decaying infrastructure, and limited judicial resources.
Monrovia Central Prison, built for 374 inmates, now holds more than 1,500.
Cllr. Beyan G. Mulbah of Noble Partners Law Firm urged security institutions to adopt rights-respecting approaches, reminding officers that the courts exist to safeguard their actions and ensure due process for all citizens.
Students and community members later commended LCL-THRP for convening what many described as a timely, practical, and eye-opening forum.
A student of St. Peter's Lutheran High School said the keynote address restored her confidence in Liberia's justice prospects, noting that assurances surrounding the establishment of the war and economic crimes courts "gave her renewed hope for the future."
