By: Kruah Thompson
Monrovia, June 23, 2025: The Executive Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe has revealed that a draft bill is currently before the Legislature seeking the establishment of a specialized Anti-Corruption Court in Liberia.
The bill, if passed into law, would mark the first time Liberia establishes a court dedicated solely to handling corruption related cases involving government officials in a timely basis
Speaking at the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing on Thursday, June 19, Cllr. Zoe explained that due to delays within the existing judicial system, many corruption cases linger for extended periods, especially when defendants appeal to the Supreme Court.
According to her, the Supreme Court often takes a long time to assume jurisdiction over such matters, and as a result, they are unable to proceed with enforcement because the law prohibits any action until the Supreme Court hears the case.
“These are some of the legal reforms we need to consider,” she added. “For instance, in the Commercial Court, when a verdict is passed against you, it is not enforced immediately. Instead, the amount you are held liable for is placed in an escrow account.”
However, she argue that they go through months of investigation to prepare their indictments, but the cases stall because of judicial delays, however, With a specialized Anti-Corruption Court, she claim that they will be able to proceed swiftly and recover stolen government assets.
She emphasized that the Criminal Court “C,” which currently handles LACC’s cases, is overwhelmed with its existing docket, limiting the Commission’s ability to proceed with timely prosecutions.
According to her, the Commission is currently pursuing indictments in several major cases, including those involving the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), and corruption allegations in Lofa, Gbarpolu, and Bong Counties amongst other.
She disclosed that in one of the cases the “LISGIS case” the court has informed them it cannot continue with jury trials due to the volume of cases on its docket, and As a result, prosecution has been postponed to the next court term in August.
She further stated that LACC has engaged with stakeholders and donor partners to support the establishment of the specialized court once the legislation is enacted.
Meanwhile, Cllr. Zoe confirmed that the Commission is working on four new indictments as part of its ongoing prosecution efforts, but stressed that legal reforms are necessary to improve enforcement mechanisms even after verdicts are delivered.
“These are the reforms we must address in our laws. For instance, in the Commercial Court, once there’s a verdict, funds can be placed in expo acount We need similar practical mechanisms for corruption cases,” she concluded.
