— As Cllr. Johnathan Massaquoi Returns from UN Sideline Meetings on for War and Economic Crimes Court Establishment

IPNEWS: The Office of the President has dismissed reports that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., has withdrawn the appointment of the Cllr. Johnathan Massaquoi as the Executive Director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court.

The Office of the President states here that the Executive Director, Cllr. Massaquoi, is currently on a mission abroad in the interest of the office and is expected to make full report to the President upon his return.

The public is advised to rely only on official sources of information from the Government on official matters.

The clarification by President Joseph Boakai now brings to a close the paid propaganda initiated by a criminal gang of coaching criminals with the sort intend to undercut gains made in the advancement of transitional justice in bringing to book perpetrators of war and economic crimes during Liberia’s civil wars.

Last week a paid for propaganda emerged about the withdrawal of Cllr. Johnathan Massaquoi by President Joseph N. Boakai, as Executive Director of the office of War and Economic Crimes court in Liberia.

The paid agents with sponsorship from leading coaching gangs with track records of formulating lies against several innocent Liberians, attempted to circumvent the decision by President Boakai to appointment to appoint Cllr. Johnanthan Massaquoi as Executive Director, War and Economic crimes court.

Recently a veteran Liberian lawyer who once served as the Law Clerk of the Supreme Court of Liberia for over eight years, sharply reacted to recent calls by some critics of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi who are calling for the withdrawal of his appointment.

Cllr. Elisha T. J. Forkeyoh called on civil society actors questioning the neutrality and credibility of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi as head of the Office of War Crimes to be sincere in their criticisms.

President Joseph Nyumah Boakai early this year appointed Cllr. Massaquoi to head the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court, giving him the matching order to spearhead efforts by designing and prescribe the methodology, mechanisms, and the processes for the establishment of a Special War Crimes Court, as well as a National Anti-Corruption Court for Liberia in line with the President’s Executive Order #131.

The Order also stimulates that the “Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court shall be an astute lawyer of impeccable character, knowledgeable in Liberian Constitutional and Criminal Law, and capable of working with the international communication in formulating the mechanisms, procedures, and processes necessary for establishing a war crimes court and an anti-corruption court for Liberia.

Despite being a License Counselor-at-Law and member of the Supreme Court Bar of Liberia, with over 13 years of experience in the legal field, a group of Civil Society actors under the banner, Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia and the human rights community urged the President to withdraw the nomination citing an alleged conflict of interest as their reliance in connection to the alleged legal representation of Madam Agnes Reeves Taylor and Sierra Leone national Gebril Massaquoi; both of whom were on separate trials for their alleged involvement in the Liberian civil war.

However, in an exclusive interview with our judicial reporter at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia, Cllr. Forkeyoh said the CSOs should rather tailor their arguments or criticisms based on substantive issues.

“For me if they have raised issues of integrity, if they raised issues of Cllr. Massaquoi being involved in the war himself, or if they have raised issues of criminal activities that Cllr. Massaquoi has been involved in; then I could have given credence to whatever they are saying,” the Liberian lawyer said.

Cllr. Forkeyoh asserted that the issues raised by the CSOs and other critics are legally unacceptable and do not warrant any justification whatsoever to prevent Cllr. Massaquoi from serving his country in said portfolio as nominated by the President.

“I don’t see any legal reasoning in whatever they have said; Cllr. Massaquoi is a fine lawyer,” he intimated.

In an attempt to clarify the doubts, Cllr. Forkeyoh insists that the nominee is not the head of the War Crimes Court neither is he the head of the Economic Crimes, stressing that the arguments as proffered by the CSOs has no justification.

“Cllr. Massaquoi is the Executive Director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes court. Cllr. Massaquoi’s responsibility is to do whatever is necessary for the formation of these courts so that is why they failed to understand,” he asserted.

Commenting on allegations from former TRC Commissioner, Massa Washington that the nominee does not have any integrity to spearhead such a process, the renowned lawyer insists that Cllr. Massaquoi possesses all the credentials to lead such a process.

“One key standard the President used in my opinion is integrity. Qualification; Cllr. Massaquoi is qualified, Cllr. Massaquoi is a man of integrity, Cllr. Massaquoi is an astute lawyer; Cllr. Massaquoi is knowledgeable about the law and all of the processes leading to the establishment of these courts,” he justifies.

While describing the criticisms as baseless, Cllr. Forkeyoh called on Liberians to be sincere in their criticisms especially in regard to the appointment of qualified Liberians to essential positions.

He wants Liberians to desist from the crab mentality and work together as a country to move the nation forward.

Also speaking, Cllr. Amara Sheriff, an astute lawyer and one of those who represented former Associate Justice Mohammed Kabenah Ja’neh said Cllr. Massaquoi’s role as head is straightly administrative and not prosecutorial as claimed by the group.

Sheriff added that Cllr. Massaquoi will be there to put mechanism into place for the preparation of the court contrary to the CSOs accusations.

“He is a lawyer of integrity and also of principles; not a prosecutor,” Sheriff stated.

The Executive Director of the WECC appointment is a mark of another significant step in President Boakai’s ARREST agenda which effort is to establish the War and Economic Crimes Court and ends impunity. This move comes barely two months after the Liberian President signed Executive Order #131, establishing the office to set up a WECC in Liberia.

In late July 2024, ahead of Cllr. Massaquio’s travel at the UN for consultation, President Joseph N. Boakai in a formal communication requested both financial and technical assistance to bring these courts to fruition.

This move is seen as a crucial element in addressing the lingering issues of justice and accountability from Liberia’s past conflicts.

In the letter, President Boakai emphasized that Liberia could no longer delay justice for the atrocities committed during its civil wars. This call for action aligns with the recent appointment of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi as Executive Director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court (OWC), a move welcomed by U.S. Congressman Chris Smith.

Smith, who chairs the House Global Human Rights Subcommittee, praised Boakai for his dedication to justice. “With this critical appointment, President Boakai continues to show his commitment and eagerness for justice,” Smith stated in a public statement.

Despite the mixed reactions, President Boakai’s actions reflect a broader commitment to addressing Liberia’s turbulent history.

The establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Courts is seen as a pivotal step in providing justice for victims and ensuring that those responsible for grave human rights violations are held accountable.

This initiative, while fraught with challenges, holds the potential to bring closure to many affected by the civil wars.

The international community’s support, particularly from the UN, is crucial in ensuring the successful establishment and operation of these courts. As Liberia moves forward, the transparency and integrity of this process will be essential in gaining the trust and support of its citizens and the global community.

In related statement, the  Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia welcomed the appointment of Cllr. Johnathan Massaquoi as Executive Director of the Office of War and Economic Crimes Court, Implore Civil Society and Human Rights Groups to Rally Support in the Fight for Justice for War and Economic Crimes Victims

SUP called on comrades and compeers of Massescracy, revolutionary militants and ideologues of the national democratic revolution of the homeland, sons and daughters of the neglected and secluded strata of our society, victims of war and economic crimes, conscious and resilient students of the University of Liberia, to support the appointment of Cllr. Massaquoi and assured them that the appointment is irrepressible and insuppressible.

SUP cautions Cllr Massaquoi to serve with diligence, professionalism and impartiality as this responsibility will mark a major milestone in the effort to dispense justice for victims of war and economic crimes of which are the abandoned and dejected masses of our people.

“Comrades and friends, in the wake of the pronouncement of the Executive Director of War and Economic crimes court, human rights violators and war crimes perpetrators are unsettled and imploring dubious means to cause panic, chaos and confusions amongst war crimes court advocates and human rights actors. It is prudent therefore to build more resilient and commanding front that contains the energy and enthusiasm of patriots in order to face these reactionary forces that are planning to dismantle our peoples hope for justice.”

“In this regards, SUP uses this medium to call upon all human rights advocates, the coalition of civil society groups,  youth and student groups and all war and economic crimes court advocates to rally hands and stand in a gallant but very progressive voice with the Executive Director for the office of war crimes to ensure that this court is fully established and serve its rightful purpose. It is obvious that many of those who perpetrated atrocities during the war are still powerful in Liberia and have significant resources to challenge efforts that is concentrated at bringing them to book. But however, as human rights defenders, we must so on realize that by playing to their tone, we risk the legitimacy to stand with our people and this apparent fallout will be a victory for warlords and their handlers.”

“We’re calling on each and every Liberian who still believe that justice is possible, to stand up now and start massive awareness in their local communities on the need for war crimes court and the significant relief this court will bring to many Liberians. As many of us are aware, the war took away over 200thousand of our compatriots who were killed senselessly by devilish warlords who were stupidly motivated by naked opportunistic desperation, we should never allow the blood of these men and women spilled in vein. Justice must be served!! Now is the the time for progressive compatriots to stand up and ensure that this court is made possible for the compelling dispense of justice and for the memories of our falling national heroes and sheroes.” SUP statement noted.