The Joint Committee on Good Governance and Judiciary in the House of Representatives held a preliminary public hearing on Friday to discuss four critical pieces of anti-corruption legislation with key integrity institutions. Representatives from the Law Reform Commission, the Governance Commission, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), and the Office of the Ombudsman attended to provide expert input on the proposed laws, which aim to significantly strengthen the nation’s legal framework against corruption.
The bills under review include an Act to Amend the Penal Law to provide for Illicit Enrichment and Corruption and an Act to Amend the Criminal Procedure Law to re-define the Burden of Proof and Statute of Limitation for corruption offenses. Also under consideration are an Act to Amend the 2022 law Establishing the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission and an Act to Amend the National Code of Conduct for All Public Officials and Employees of Government.
The hearing was characterized as both tense and engaging, with representatives from the Executive Branch and integrity institutions presenting detailed views on the proposed amendments. While there were no formal objections raised to three of the four bills, significant debate centered on specific provisions within the proposed amendment to the LACC Act.
A primary point of contention was a provision detailing the tenure and removal process for LACC Commissioners. The proposed amendment stipulates that a Commissioner may only be removed by the President for specific causes, such as proven misconduct, gross breach of duty, or conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude. Crucially, the proposal introduces a robust legislative check on this power: if the President seeks to remove a tenured Commissioner, a written recommendation must be submitted to the National Legislature.
Following this submission, the Legislature would conduct a formal review, ensuring the Commissioner is afforded full due process, including notice and a right to be heard. A Commissioner could only be removed upon confirmation by a legislative resolution passed by a simple majority vote of members present. Any removal action taken without this legislative review and confirmation would be declared null and void, a clause designed to bolster the commission’s independence from political interference.
