Two distinct but complementary courts at the heart of Liberia's accountability agenda.
OWECC-L is mandated to lay the groundwork for the establishment of two courts, each targeting a distinct category of injustice that has gone unaddressed in Liberia for decades. Together, they form a comprehensive accountability framework designed to deliver justice for victims of past atrocities and current corruption.
Liberia endured two devastating civil wars between 1989 and 2003, during which widespread atrocities were committed against civilians, including massacres, sexual violence, forced conscription of child soldiers, and the deliberate destruction of communities. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which concluded its work in 2009, recommended the establishment of a dedicated war crimes court to prosecute those most responsible for these crimes.
Despite this recommendation, no court was established for over a decade. OWECC-L was created to finally move that process forward, to translate the TRC's mandate into a functioning, credible judicial institution.
The WECC will be a hybrid court, rawing on both Liberian and international law, and incorporating both Liberian and international legal expertise. It will have jurisdiction over:
"Without accountability, there can be no genuine reconciliation. The WECC is not about revenge; it is about truth, justice, and ensuring that what happened to the Liberian people is never allowed to happen again."
— OWECC-L Position Statement
Corruption has long been one of Liberia's most persistent challenges, undermining public services, discouraging investment, and deepening poverty. While institutions such as the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) exist to investigate and refer corruption cases, Liberia has lacked a dedicated judicial forum with the specialisation, independence, and resources to efficiently try high-level corruption cases.
The National Anti-Corruption Court is designed to fill that gap: a specialised court exclusively focused on trying corruption offenses committed by public officials, institutions, and those who benefit from state resources.
The NACC will be a domestic Liberian court with specialised jurisdiction over corruption offenses, including:
By having a dedicated court, Liberia can ensure that corruption cases are heard by specialised judges, completed within reasonable timelines, and insulated from the political pressures that have historically slowed or blocked accountability.
The LACC and the NACC are separate but complementary institutions. The LACC investigates suspected corruption and refers cases for prosecution. The NACC is the court that hears those cases and delivers binding judgments. This separation ensures institutional independence: the body that investigates is not the same body that adjudicates, reducing the risk of political interference at either stage.
| Dimension | War & Economic Crimes Court (WECC) | National Anti-Corruption Court (NACC) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Civil war atrocities (1989–2003) | Ongoing and recent corruption offenses |
| Court Type | Hybrid (Liberian + international law & personnel) | Domestic specialised court |
| Crimes Covered | War crimes, crimes against humanity, economic crimes linked to conflict | Acts of Corruptions |
| Primary Reference Institution | (IIU) investigators and chief Prosecutor Office and prosecutors | Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) |
| Mandate Origin | 2009 TRC Final Report | Anti-corruption reform agenda & OWECC-L mandate |