By Festus Poquie
President Joseph Boakai sweeping anti-corruption bill presented to the legislature could according to critics be used to prevent former President George Weah from contesting the 2029 presidential election and target perceived enemies.
The draft measure would alter statutes of limitation and the burden of proof in corruption and illicit enrichment cases so alleged misconduct by officials while in office can be more readily pursued anytime when off the job. Private citizens are also included.
Main opposition Coalition for Democratic Change Secretary General Jefferson Koijee alleges the Boakai administration have hatched plans to arrest and indict Weah in an attempt to block his participation in the 2029 general and presidential elections.
He accused the administration of seeking to weaponize the justice system ahead of the crucial vote.
“The proposal is being advanced “under the deceptive banner of ‘anti corruption reform,” Koijee said.
“It removes meaningful limitation periods and weakens protections against self incrimination, creating a weapon of convenience in the hands of those who fear the verdict of the Liberian people.”
The statement, posted by Koijee on his personal Facebook page, accused the Boakai administration of concentrating “ruthless power in prosecutorial hands” and warned the proposal could destabilize the country.
The administration has not publicly responded to Koijee’s detailed accusations beyond reiterating the need for stronger tools to combat corruption.
Lawmakers are now reviewing the law. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 12 had it second reading and appears to be on the verge of enactment.
Crafters of the bill say it is designed to strengthen prosecutions of public office corruption.
“Without the law, the fight against corruption would not be effective,” President Boakai said when presenting the measure.
Opponents, however, warn the changes could be used for political ends.
The Senate committee reviewing the bill has not yet announced a timetable for public hearings or a floor vote.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are expected to debate whether the measure strikes an appropriate balance between enabling prosecutions and preserving procedural protections for suspects and former officials.
It however appears prosecutors are applying the draft law long before its enactment.
A trial judge in Monrovia has asked Weah’s wife to produce evidence against herself in the administration’s assets recovery campaign targeting her private charity.
The Clar Hope Foundation remains at the center of a legal dispute with the government. The administration of President Joseph Boakai is pushing to seize the foundation’s assets, claiming state resources may have been used in the construction of the City of Hope complex. The Clar Hope Foundation has repeatedly denied those allegations.
The government’s Asset Recovery Taskforce asked the court to compel the former First Lady to present documents tied to the construction of the foundation’s complex.
The foundation has asked the court to dismiss or limit the scope of that request.
In the context of the proposed anti-corruption legislation, legal scholars and civil society groups have called for careful scrutiny of any changes that would affect the burden of proof or limitations periods, saying such changes can raise constitutional and human rights concerns if they erode protections against self incrimination and fair trial standards.
If enacted, the bill could have major implications for Liberia’s political landscape ahead of the 2029 elections, with opponents warning of potential legal challenges and heightened political tensions.
Supporters argue the nation needs sharper legal tools to hold public officials accountable for corruption. Lawmakers now face the task of weighing those competing claims as they consider the bill’s future.
