The Lutheran Church in Liberia Trauma Therapeutic and Reconciliation Program has ended a One-day ACCESS TO JUSTICE CONFERENCE in Monrovia. The convention, which was held underneath the Theme: “Liberty and Justice for All” introduced collectively over 80 stakeholders together with personnel from the Liberia Drug Enforcement Company, the Armed Forces of Liberian, Correctional officers, college students, spiritual leaders, layers, returning migrants, “former” drug customers, and area people dwellers amongst others. The convention is among the main actions of the Civil Peace Service 963 Mano River Challenge for Returning Migrants, Drug Customers, Jail Inmates and Native Group Dwellers with assist from Bread for the World, Germany.
LCL-THRP established in 1998 with the mandate to advertise peacebuilding, nationwide therapeutic and reconciliation in addition to offering psychosocial rehabilitation interventions to people, households and communities throughout Liberia.
LCL-THRP seeks to heal the previous and break the cycle of violence by peacebuilding and Psychosocial Rehabilitation.
Giving the overview of the mission, LCL-THRP’s Director, Rev. F. Philip L. Nushann, Jr. mentioned with assist from Bread for the World, Germany, the LCL-THRP has been making a number of interventions for marginalized teams in Liberia together with Returning Migrants and Drug Customers in addition to participating vital stakeholders in reaching its targets.
Serving as Keynote Speaker, the Workplace for the Institution of Struggle and Financial Crimes Courtroom Government Director, Cllr. Dr. Jallah A. Barbu, has outlined vital progress made in latest months since President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s issuance of Government Order 131, which created the Workplace for the Institution of the Struggle and Financial Crimes Courtroom and a Particular Courtroom for Anti-Corruption.
Cllr. Barbu acknowledged current challenges, however emphasised that his workplace is working expeditiously to make sure the hybrid Struggle and Financial Crimes Courtroom, together with the Particular Courtroom for Anti-Corruption are established and absolutely purposeful inside in step with their mandate.
In accordance him, two proposed Acts are anticipated to be introduced to President Boakai for onward submission to the legislature on each Courts institution in Liberia.
“The courts can be established, operationalized, indict people, and conduct trials on this nation,” he asserted.
Dr. Barbu confused that the courts would place Liberia on the correct trajectory by delivering justice to victims and survivors, whereas additionally permitting the accused the chance to clear their names.
He recommended President Boakai for demonstrating braveness and political will in establishing the courts after years of Liberia’s civil battle, clarifying that funding for the workplace operations stay good, together with assist from overseas companions.
Cllr. Barbu confused that the method resulting in the institution of the courts needs to be owned by Liberians nationwide, fairly than being a course of centered solely in Monrovia, reaffirming full dedication to collective participation of all regardless of their backgrounds.
Cllr. Barbu additionally referred to as for collective assist in facilitating the courts’ institution, expressing gratitude to the partnership between OWECC and the LCL-THRP, particularly offering evidence-based info to information its workings.
He reminded Civil Society Organizations, particularly the Church, to hitch efforts to make sure the institution of the Courts.
For his half, serving as proxy for AFL Chief of Employees, Main Normal Davidson Florleh, Atty. 1st Lt. Francis Wesseh underscored that Justice is a product of a well-coordinated system that entails safety equipment, native authorities, spiritual neighborhood and nationwide authorities amongst others.
Atty. 1st Lt. Wesseh reminded the gathering that entry to justice have to be constructed on belief and confidence on grounds that if residents misplaced belief inside its justice system, violence and constant demonstrations amongst others would turn out to be pervasive.
Talking on the subject: “A Drive for Good: The position of the Armed Forces of Liberia in selling Entry to Justice”, Atty. 1st Lt. Wesseh indicated that for the reason that restructuring of AFL after Liberia’s bloody civil struggle, it has contributed to humanitarian assist together with street rehabilitation, well being providers, nationwide disasters and neighborhood initiatives amongst others.
Lt. Wesseh argued that ACCESS TO JUSTICE can solely be realized if folks account for his or her actions. In response to him, the Armed Forces of Liberia is a disciplined pressure, which is vital to reassuring peace and stability, and constructing belief and confidence amongst residents. “No Solider is above the regulation of Liberia” he asserted.
He, nonetheless, uncovered a number of challenges that want pressing redress together with restricted entry to justice in rural areas, rising mob violence or self-justice, alarming drug disaster, logistics and mobility constraints, gaps in interagency coordination whereas recommending steady engagements between the safety sector and civilians throughout the nation to reinforce relationship and confidence degree.
DCP Fitzgerald T. M. Biago (LNP), Officer-in-Cost of the Libera Drug Enforcement Company additionally spoke on the convention. Talking on the subject: “Combating medication and mob violence: The position of the LDEA in selling sustainable peace and social cohesion in Liberia”, OIC Biago cataloged the numerous achievement of the LDEA underneath the management and the collective efforts of his group. He recommended the Liberian authorities for the assist, and introduced that the LDEA is working with related stakeholders to make sure necessary drug exams are carried out in all excessive faculties throughout the Liberia. “This era needs to be saved from medication” – OIC Biago asserted to the applauds of members, particularly college students.
Additionally talking on the convention was Liberia’s Assistant Justice Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation, Atty. Hon. Gabriel F. Ndupellar who alarmed over jail overcrowding as a result of speedy improve within the variety of pre-trial detentions. He referred to as for presidency and companions assist to deal with challenges confronting Liberia’s Justice system.
Atty. Ndupellar mentioned as of November 26, 2025, the Nation’s 16 jail services account for 3,697 inmates of which 2,469 accounts for pre-trial detention representing 66.7%, one thing he described as disastrous for pre-trial detainees, highlighting a long-standing and extreme situation in Liberia’s justice system.
Present stories and previous information persistently point out {that a} majority of Liberia’s jail inhabitants contains pre-trial detainees attributable to systemic points like case backlogs and lack of judicial sources.
Human Rights Advocates have raised issues on extended detention with out trial, which is a big human rights situation, typically leading to detainees spending years behind bars earlier than their circumstances are heard.
Monrovia Central Jail, the biggest facility, was constructed for less than 374 folks however typically holds over 1,500 inmates, exacerbating overcrowding and poor situations.
Atty. Ndupellar additional indicated that inefficiencies within the judicial system, comparable to the shortage of resident judges, which ends up in extended detentions with out trial or indictment being served together with the insufficient current jail infrastructure that has not been expanded to satisfy the rising inhabitants’s wants in addition to Poor working situations and lack of funding for judicial officers could cause delays in case processing. Atty. Ndupellar spoke on the subject: “Extended pre-trial detention: Causes and results on the Liberian Justice System.”
Additionally talking on the convention was Cllr. Beyan G. Mulbah of Noble Companions Regulation Agency. Cllr. Mulbah, in his presentation, emphasised the significance and wish for regulation enforcement officers to all the time respect elementary rights of each citizen within the discharge of their obligation. Cllr. Mulbah inspired members to utilize the courts, which had been established to assist their entry to justice.
Giving suggestions on the finish of the convention, members expressed gratitude to the LCL-THRP for what their described as “educative and wanted” convention, which helped not solely to reinforce their understanding of the justice system in Liberia however to have created the platform for constructive engagement with obligation bearers and key resolution makers within the nation. In her suggestions, one younger scholar from the St. Peter’s Lutheran highschool indicated that the keynote tackle delivered by Cllr. Dr. Jallah A. Barbu, particularly on certainty of the institution of struggle and financial crimes courts in Liberia restored her hope in the way forward for her beloved nation.
