Liberia: Corruption investigation gets go-ahead

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT TO REMOVE THE STAY ORDER ON THE ECOWAS TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS

On April 14, 1979, Liberians took to the streets in protest against a proposed increment in the price of rice. Twenty six years later, on April 14, 2005, the Supreme Court of Liberia issued a judgment removing the stay order on the investigation of alleged corruption within the National Transitional Government of Liberia. This is indeed a historic day, and a reminder that our country, the Republic of Liberia, the oldest independent Republic in Africa is on course in deepening democratic tendencies, supporting the rule of law and Courts decision in essence gives the ECOWAS Panel of Investigators the right to proceed and investigate the probable misapplication of natural resources, specifically public funds.

This is a great day to be a Liberian.

We, representatives of a number of civil society organizations, are pleased with the ruling of the Supreme Court and therefore call upon the Liberian Government and all peace-loving Liberians to work cooperatively and ensure that the ECOWAS Panel of Investigators conduct its work. As independent and professional individuals, we expect that they would marshal the evidence, and the Liberian nation would, for once, get a good idea and the correct and right information on how public funds are being expended.

It is our ardent hope that the international community will see the ruling by the Supreme Court that this nation is keen on continuous engagement with them in order that durable peace in Liberia can be establi! shed and a democratic order is put into place. The statement by the International Monitoring Committee that issues of accountability and transparency are at the core of building lasting peace in Liberia bas been affirmed by our courts and the conscious citizens of this country know only too well how correct and remarkable this ruling is.

We would like to thank the media for its role in ensuring that transparency and accountability animates our national government and that the people are enabled to fully appreciate the whereabouts of state funding. For our part this is only the beginning in our state resources in ways that would surely improve the material conditions of the majority of Liberians, who at the moment live in misery and abject poverty.

Once the ECOWAS Team of Investigators concludes its work, we would request that their findings become public and the individuals or groups of individuals who would be responsible for breaches of the law and public confidence ! be held accountable and duly persecuted under laws.

Finally, we want to thank ECOWAS and the International Monitoring Committee and all dutiful citizens of Liberia in remaining steadfast on this issue. We know that this is just the beginning of an arduous task of establishing a responsible government in this country.

Meanwhile we the various organizations listed below are proud to be associated with efforts at removing any and all roadblocks that we being placed before the ECOWAS Panel of Investigators. We are thankful that the Supreme Court agreed with our intervention and thereby granted our participation in the proceedings.

Thank you very much for all your support.

Ezekiel Pajobo, Center for Democratic Empowerment (CEDE)

Sam Hare, Jr. Foundation for International Dignity (FIND)
Aloysius Toe, Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (FOHRD)

Atty. Alfred Brownell, Green Advocates

Foundation for International Dignity -FIND
Human Right & Peace Building Resource Center
Broad & Johnson Streets
Monrovia Liberia,
Cell:+(+37747)510058/ 522023/ 530236 / 534494 / 523301