Ganta, Nimba County – The Liberia Anti‑Corruption Commission (LACC) has urged closer collaboration between investigators and prosecutors and stressed the importance of professional prosecution in the fight against corruption.
By Franklin Doloquee
Delivering remarks on behalf of LACC Executive Chairperson Cllr. Alexandra K. Zoe at the opening of the Ministry of Justice’s three‑day quarterly prosecutors’ training workshop on Monday, August 3, Cllr. Oretha Snyder Davis, one of the commissioners for prosecution of the LACC, praised the ministry for organizing regular professional development sessions.
She described the trainings as essential to building “an effective, efficient, credible and responsive” justice system and said prosecutors are central actors who link law‑enforcement investigations to court determinations.
“A prosecutor is not simply expected to secure convictions,” Cllr. Davis stated.
“A prosecutor must pursue justice fairly, independently, professionally and in accordance with the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Liberia,’’ she pointed out.
Cllr. Davis warned that the changing nature of crime including corruption, money‑laundering, procurement fraud, cybercrime, financial offences, abuse of public office and transnational criminal networks requires more than general criminal‑law knowledge.
Prosecutors, she said, need continuous training, careful case preparation, strong analytical skills and close coordination with investigators and other justice‑sector institutions to prosecute complex cases successfully.
“Investigations alone cannot produce accountability,” she intimated. “Evidence gathered by investigators must be properly analyzed, preserved, presented and defended before the courts,” she noted, stressing that weaknesses in case preparation, witness management or evidence presentation can derail otherwise strong cases.
The LACC official called for early and sustained collaboration between investigators and prosecutors so prosecutors can identify evidentiary gaps, advise on additional investigative actions, assess witness reliability and ensure legally compliant evidence handling.
At the same time, the LACC official emphasized the distinct professional duties of each office: impartial, evidence‑based inquiries by investigators and independent legal assessment by prosecutors.
Cllr. Davis also cautioned against external influence, saying prosecutions must be guided by the public interest and not by political, personal or institutional pressure.
“The same legal standards must apply to every person regardless of position or influence,” she said, adding that selective justice undermines public trust and the legitimacy of the justice system.
Practical areas for improvement highlighted in her address included case management and courtroom preparedness.
Prosecutors were urged to maintain accurate case files, develop prosecution strategies, track court records, prepare witnesses, anticipate defenses and ensure documentary and physical evidence are available when required.
The LACC encouraged the use of technology to improve record management, legal research, communication and case monitoring and called for respectful, protective treatment of witnesses to secure cooperation in specialized prosecutions.
The Commission framed the fight against corruption as a collective effort requiring coordination among investigators, prosecutors, judges, auditors, financial intelligence units, procurement authorities, civil society, the media and the public.
It reaffirmed its commitment to work with the Ministry of Justice and other justice‑sector partners, saying effective prosecution contributes to punishment, deterrence, recovery of public resources, protection of institutions and restoration of citizen confidence.
Cllr. Davis urged participants to engage openly, share experiences, examine successful and failed cases and identify practical measures to improve prosecution quality.
She said the true impact of the training will be seen in better case preparation, more professional courtroom advocacy, timely prosecutions, ethical conduct by prosecutors and greater delivery of justice to Liberians.
Organizers, facilitators and development partners were thanked for their support.
The LACC closed by calling on prosecutors to remain courageous, impartial and committed to the rule of law so that wrongdoing is properly investigated, evidence professionally presented, the innocent protected and the rights of Liberians strengthened.
