Monrovia – Civic leaders gathered at the Corina Hotel in Sinkor on February 20, 2025, for a conference organized by the Center for Democratic Governance to discuss the establishment of a War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
By Patience M. Jones, contributing writer
The meeting was driven by growing public interest in the issue following the results of the Afrobarometer Round 10 survey, which highlighted the need for accountability for wartime atrocities.
Madam Georgina C. Coker, Assistant Program Coordinator at the Center for Democratic Governance, presented the key findings of the Afrobarometer survey, which gathered data from 1,200 Liberian citizens through face-to-face interviews conducted between July 30 and August 21, 2024.
The survey found that 84% of Liberians were aware of the government’s plan to create a War and Economic Crimes Court, and 78% expressed support for its establishment.
Coker also shared demographic details, noting that the respondents were almost evenly split between men (51%) and women (49%). In terms of education, 17% had no formal education, 17% had completed primary school, 46% had secondary education, and 20% had attended post-secondary institutions.
The majority of participants (87%) identified as Christians, while 11% were Muslims.
While support for the court was strong, the survey also revealed that 61% of respondents preferred to move on from the past and forget the crimes committed during Liberia’s civil conflict.
Dr. Aaron Weah, Director of the Ducor Institute for Social and Economic Research, emphasized the importance of the court as a platform for dialogue and reconciliation.
He called for strengthening Liberia’s security system to ensure the court’s effective implementation and reaffirmed his support for the initiative, recalling his previous advocacy for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
