CLLR. BROWN DEFERS WITH CLLR. BARBU
Cllr. Dempster Brown, Chairperson of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), has deferred with the Executive Director of the Office of War and Economic crime Court of Liberia ( OWECC) over the establishment of regional offices and the use of public funds.
Brown has accused Barbu of jumping the gun, arguing that creating regional structures before the court is enacted by law amounts to a "misapplication" of government funds. Brown warned that mismanagement could undermine Liberia's transitional justice drive and called for accountability for expenditures tied to the outreach expansion.
Dr. Barbu for his part stressed that the decentralization plan has informed the opening of regional offices intended to bring the process closer to communities outside Monrovia, and to make eventual court operations "credible and inclusive" when the WECC is formally constituted.
Dr. Barbu dismissed Brown's claims as "baseless" and went further to question Brown's legal standing, alleging on air that the INCHR chair is not licensed to practice law. Barbu insisted the Executive Order outlines OWECC-L's role, including public outreach and mobilization of victims and survivors in their localities.
The OWECC-L'S boss pointed out that regional offices are not wasteful spending; they are essential to bring justice closer to the people.
Dr. Barbu said, maintaining that victims and survivors outside the capital must be part of the process. He also claimed that opposition to the court's push is often driven by people "afraid of accountability."
OWECC-L was created by presidential Executive Order to spearhead preparatory work for the proposed WECC and a companion Economic Crimes Court, including coordinating outreach and other groundwork pending legislative action.
The dispute has also spilled into questions about spending and the quality of draft instruments being prepared for the court. While Brown contends that the outreach expansion is premature, Barbu says funds are being used for preparatory activities authorized under the Executive Order and that technical work, including draft frameworks, is being developed with expert input.
For its part, OWECC-L says it will continue nationwide engagement as it lays the groundwork for the proposed court, while urging institutions and partners to work together, not at cross purposes. The office maintains that victims of Liberia's civil wars are owed a justice process that is timely, inclusive and accountable.
