Editorial: The Composition Of The Senate In The Face Of The Resolution For The Establishment Of A War And Economic Crimes Court
IN EARLY MARCH, the House of Representatives passed a resolution for the establishment of a war and economic crimes court, and forwarded it to the Liberian Senate for concurrence. However, the Senate had second thoughts on the resolution; as such, they sent the instrument into committee room for deliberation. The instrument is yet to surface in plenary for final decision.
THE LIBERIAN SENATE is made up of several individuals accused of either war crimes, like Senator Prince Johnson of Nimba County and Senator Thomas Yaha Nimely of Grand Gedeh, or economic crimes, like Senator Bill Tweahway of Rivercess and Senator Nathaniel McGill of Margibi. Those in the war crimes category are reportedly insinuating that the establishment of the court could instigate another unrest and plunge Liberia back to war, and for this reason they are opposingthe resolution and issuing threats about its passage.
ON THE OTHER hand, individuals in the economic crimes category are said to be pushing for the war crimes court to be separate from the economic crimes court.According to Hot Pepper’s sources in the Senate, some members of the august body are arguing that the war crimes court, which will be established on international laws and treaties, should be divorced from the economic crimes court because there are laws that requires that economic crimes be adjudicated by the state; therefore, passing the resolution as is will contravene Liberian law.
OUT OF THE current twenty-nine (29) senators, at least eight (8) of them do not have good standing with the United States of America, which is said to be the force behind the establishment of the court: Edwin M. Snowe, J. Alex Tyler, Nathaniel F. McGill, Emmanuel Nuquay, Albert Chie, Prince Y. Johnson, Thomas Y. Nimely and Bill Tweahway. All of them are either on international restrictions, sanctions or financial charge. They are said to be heavily lobbying with their colleagues not to endorse the resolution, especially when there is no political pressure from the presidency.
THE HOT PEPPER has been informed that those pushing for the separation of the war crimes court from the economic crimes court are nearly succeeding, which is detrimental to the greater good of the country. If the courts are separated, the paper was told, the war crimes court will be spearheaded by the international partners while the economic crimes court will be led by the judiciary system, which is allegedly highly vulnerable to bribery, corruption and other forms of malpractices, and those accused could easily make their way out with a not-guilty verdict.
HOWEVER, A RELEASE issued by the Coalition for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia (CEWAECCL), headed by its Lead Campaigner, Adama Kiatamba Dempster, has expressed concern over the apparent waning delay by the Liberian Senate to concur with the resolution and the lack of political will on the part of the presidency to expedite the establishment of the court since President Joseph Nyumah Boakai vowed to establish the court during his inaugural speech.