Monrovia – The Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL) has officially welcomed President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s submission of draft legislation to establish a specialized National Anti-Corruption Court, describing it as an “indelible step” toward dismantling the culture of impunity in the country.
By Francis G. Boayue
In a press statement released Wednesday, May 27, CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen lauded the Executive Mansion for the submission of two landmark instruments: “An Act Establishing a War and Economic Crimes Court” and “An Act Adopting a New Title 17 (a) of the Liberian Code of Laws Revised, Establishing the National Anti-Corruption Court.”
The submission follows a draft previously presented by the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court on May 6.
Despite the establishment of various anti-graft structures by successive governments, Miamen noted that the fight against corruption has been consistently hamstrung by the slow pace of prosecution. He attributed these delays to overcrowded court dockets, limited financing, and weak enforcement of existing laws.
“By providing original jurisdiction and exclusive authority to hear corruption-related cases, the court will ensure swift trials,” Miamen said. “We call on the leadership of the House of Representatives and the Senate to hold timely, open, and inclusive hearings to pass the bill and adequately fund the court through the national budget.”
The civil society organization also addressed the findings of a recent General Auditing Commission (GAC) compliance audit of the government’s revenue collection and reconciliation processes for the period July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2024.
The audit revealed staggering discrepancies that CENTAL says undermine the financial integrity of the state.
Most notable was the revelation that revenues totaling US$257,512,276 and L$23,633,186,485 recorded in transitory bank accounts could not be traced to the General Revenue Account (GRA).
“The findings presented in this and other audits speak more to the need to strengthen transparency in the management of financial resources needed to fund road construction, education, and health,” Miamen stated.
The audit also flagged: “Unauthorized withdrawals amounting to over US bm{59,000 and L}55,000 from transitory accounts. Irregularities associated with reversal transactions. Cash payments at rural customs collectorates that were held by collectors for “protracted periods,” exposing public funds to theft.
While CENTAL acknowledged the recent joint press conference by the Ministry of Finance, the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), and the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL)—where they outlined remedial efforts like the upgrade to ASYCUDA Version 4.4—the watchdog group argued that these measures are too future-oriented.
“These efforts do very little to satisfactorily address alleged past discrepancies and abuses reported,” the statement noted.
CENTAL is now demanding four immediate actions: “Legislative Hearings: The Joint Public Accounts Committee must conduct robust hearings to hold past and current wrongdoers accountable.
“Implementation: The LRA and CBL must fully implement GAC recommendations to protect public resources.
“Criminal Prosecution: The Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) and the Ministry of Justice must initiate criminal investigations into the missing millions.
“Public Updates: The government must provide periodic updates to the public on the status of audit recommendations.
“We call on the government to ensure public resources intended for development are safeguarded to lift citizens out of poverty,” Miamen concluded.
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