MONROVIA – Wonderr K. Freeman, a former attorney, economist, and certified financial crimes specialist at the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA), continues to battle for the enforcement of a court-ordered payment nearly two years after winning a judgment against his former employer. Despite a final ruling by the 13th Judicial Circuit Court on December 7, 2022, awarding Freeman US$9,948.00 and LRD$1,500.00, the FIA has yet to comply.
The prolonged delay has now drawn the ire of the judiciary, with Assigned Circuit Judge His Honor T. Ciapha Carey declaring on August 26, 2024, that the FIA’s failure to honor the judgment is “an affront to the justice system.” At the latest hearing, the Court reaffirmed that Freeman’s right to be paid is not only legally valid but also binding on the government, including the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the President.
Wonderr K. Freeman has endured months of frustrating attempts to recover his unpaid benefits, legal fees, and taxes following the Court’s final ruling. The judgment stemmed from a labor dispute, which was initially decided by the National Labor Court and then upheld by subsequent courts. The FIA’s continued noncompliance has prompted multiple judicial orders demanding payment, none of which have been fulfilled.
During the August 26 hearing, Judge Carey meticulously reviewed the procedural timeline, confirming that the FIA had been given ample opportunities to respond, raise objections, or appeal the judgment, all of which it failed to do. “This Court has exhausted all legal remedies in favor of the respondent. We are now at the stage of enforcement, and no further delay is justifiable under the law,” Judge Carey stated from the bench.
The Court noted that the Ministry of Justice had previously been notified through formal court correspondence and sheriffs dispatched with writs of enforcement. Court clerks testified under oath that returns had been properly filed and served to the relevant government entities, leaving no ambiguity about the order’s legal standing or the agencies’ obligations.
“This country has a sitting Minister of Justice and a President,” Judge Carey emphasized. “If a government entity can treat a citizen in such a manner after a judgment has been rendered in his favor, justice is not served. The Court is the last hope for man on Planet Earth.”
For Wonderr Freeman, the judicial system has repeatedly sided with him, yet he remains unpaid. In correspondence dated May 6, 2024, addressed to Mohammed A. Nasser, Officer-in-Charge of the FIA, Freeman reiterated his demand for payment and enclosed all relevant court documents. “I extend my kind greetings and congratulate you on your appointment at the FIA,” Wonderr wrote. “Prior to your ascendency, I had communicated with Mr. Stanley Ford what I thought would have been my last communication to the FIA to pay up on a court order.”
When contacted by Smart News for his reaction to FIA’s persistent refusal to honor the court’s mandate, Freeman responded: “I worked for the FIU for three years (2014 to 2017) and helped greatly in writing the first sets of statutes and regulations, about eight, that regularized Liberia’s status in the AML/CFT regulatory regime.” He continued, “However, my greatest ‘crime’ was speaking up about corruption at the FIA at the time. This case has gone on for eight years and has seen five judges (Natt, Chenoweth, Peabody, Carey, Elliot). After final judgment, how many motions for enforcement of judgment is sufficient? After final judgment, it is no longer optional for the FIA to comply. FIA continues to blatantly abuse their power. The Government of Liberia must act now to end this abuse and save its reputation. FIA is not above the law; court orders are mandatory,” he concluded.
The court also questioned the credibility and professionalism of FIA’s legal team for what it described as “deliberate negligence.” Judge Carey expressed frustration that neither FIA’s lawyers nor top administrators had appeared consistently in court to provide justification for the agency’s defiance. “Their absence is a direct signal of disregard for judicial authority and the rule of law,” he said.
Despite Freeman’s persistent engagement and the finality of the court rulings, the FIA has not acted. On August 26, 2024, the Court gave the FIA a final deadline of one month, until September 25, 2024, to make full payment. Judge Carey warned that failure to comply will result in contempt proceedings against FIA management and legal counsel.
Legal experts attending the hearing said the Court’s position sets a critical precedent in the enforcement of judgments against public institutions. “If this order is ignored, then it signals that any Liberian citizen who wins a case against the government is at risk of never being compensated,” said Cllr. Ernest P. Wesseh, who observed the proceedings.
Wonderr K. Freeman’s legal ordeal has spanned multiple judicial sessions and decisions. Each time, the courts have confirmed and reaffirmed that Freeman is entitled to be compensated. His victory in court, however, has yet to translate into justice in practice.
Wonderr’s case is now widely seen as a test of the rule of law in Liberia. As the judiciary issues what may be its final ultimatum, Freeman still waits for the justice he has already won. “If the Court’s order is not respected,” he warned, “then the very essence of justice is in question.”
