Anthony Stephens

Victims and Advocates Angry As Government Stays Silent Over Bribery Allegations in Country’s Biggest Human Trafficking Case as Suspects’ Release Date Nears

In Liberia, victims and human rights advocates are expressing anger over the government’s silence in the country’s largest human trafficking case — as suspects move closer to possible release.The case involves more than fifty victims and allegations of bribery within the justice system. It is one of a growing number of human trafficking cases –…

Anthony Stephens
Radio

Liberians who fled civil war and built lives in America now face removal to a country many barely remember — as the Trump administration eyes Liberia for deportees with no connection to it at

The story follows Eriah Nahnie, a Liberian refugee detained in Massachusetts after arriving in America as a child. Despite raising a family and believing his asylum status protected him, he now faces removal to Liberia—a nation he has no ties to and barely recalls. His case highlights a broader pattern of Liberians being targeted under…

Anthony Stephens
Video

Victims and Advocates Angry As Government Stays Silent Over Bribery Allegations in Country’s Biggest Human Trafficking Case as Suspects’ Release Date Nears

Liberia’s biggest human‑trafficking case is now hanging by a thread as government officials remain silent over explosive bribery allegations, while 11 accused traffickers could walk free on bail this month due to delays in prosecution. Victims who bravely came forward say they feel abandoned as the justice system falters, raising serious concerns about corruption, accountability,…

Anthony Stephens
Video

Victims and Advocates Angry As Government Stays Silent Over Bribery Allegations in Country’s Biggest Human Trafficking Case as Suspects’ Release Date Nears

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Victims in Liberia’s largest human trafficking case said they were deeply disappointed by the government’s silence after they revealed to FrontPage Africa last week that they were repeatedly told by traffickers that they had paid bribes to Bestman Juah, a public defender, to keep the cases from free from justice….

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Liberians who fled civil war and built lives in America now face removal to a country many barely remember — as the Trump administration eyes Liberia for deportees with no connection to it at

By Anthony Stephens and New Narratives editors It was Kayla’s birthday. She was putting her baby son into his car seat, her daughter climbing into the back, her fiancé Eriah Nahnie behind the wheel. It was just after 8 in the morning — a routine school run on a cold winter’s day in United States…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

How Liberia’s Human Traffickers Stay Free

A mass escape from a trafficking ring handed prosecutors everything they needed for Liberia’s biggest trafficking conviction. 51 victims say a bribe is about to set their traffickers free By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent and New Narratives editors On a morning last October, more than 50 women and men walked into Paynesville magistrates’ court…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Belgian Court Orders War Crimes Trial for Martina Johnson, a Key Ally of Warlord-Turned President Charles Taylor, After Decade-Long Investigation

After more than 15 years of investigation, a Belgian appeals court has ruled that Martina Johnson — one of the most powerful commanders in Charles Taylor’s rebel movement — must finally stand trial for alleged atrocities committed during Liberia’s first civil war. Johnson is accused of leading brutal attacks during Operation Octopus, a 1992 assault…

Anthony Stephens
Video

Leading War Crimes Investigator’s Office is Attacked As Threats Against Witnesses and Investigators Escalates

Armed men recently broke into the offices of the Global Justice and Research Project, threatening director Hassan Bility and warning that they “knew where he lived,” in what activists say is the latest attempt to intimidate those pursuing accountability for Liberia’s civil‑war atrocities. The attack, along with fresh threats against witnesses and officials working on…

Anthony Stephens
Video

Belgian Court Orders War Crimes Trial for Martina Johnson, a Key Ally of Warlord-Turned President Charles Taylor, After Decade-Long Investigation

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: A high court in Belgum ruled on Thursday that Martina Johnson, one of the most powerful women of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front for Liberia, should stand trial for crimes she’s accused of committing during Liberia’s first civil war between 1989 and 1996. The decision by…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Leading War Crimes Investigator’s Office is Attacked As Threats Against Witnesses and Investigators Escalates

By Anthony Stephens, senior justice correspondent with New Narratives Summary: Armed men broke into the offices of the Global Justice and Research Project last month, targeting Liberia’s leading organization investigating civil war crimes, according to security guards, and alarming activists who say threats against victims, witnesses and investigators are rising. According to Hassan Bility, director…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

As Liberia Debates War Crimes Court, Experts Urge Forced Marriage Be Treated as a Crime

Liberian justice advocates are pushing for stronger protections for victims as the country moves toward establishing a war crimes court. At a recent conference in Monrovia, human rights expert Elise Keppler stressed that crimes like forced marriage and other gender‑based abuses must be fully recognized in the court’s legislation to ensure meaningful justice. She said…

Anthony Stephens
Video

U.N. Begins Training Lawyers Ahead of War Crimes Court’s Establishment

Liberia is taking a major step toward long‑awaited justice as the U.N. Human Rights Office begins training 20 Liberian lawyers on prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity. The two‑day program aims to build local capacity ahead of a proposed war and economic crimes court, strengthening legal institutions and preparing lawyers who have never handled…

Anthony Stephens
Video

 How Will The Office For War Crimes Court Work? Who Will Lead It?

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MONROVIA, Liberia— Liberia took a major step to end war time impunity this month when President Joseph Boakai issued an executive order to establish an office for a war crimes court to try those “bearing the greatest responsibility” for atrocities in civil wars that ended in 2003 and left…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

ECOWAS Court Postpones Historic Hearing of Lutheran Church Massacre Case After Liberian Gov. Asked for More Time To “Prepare”  

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MONROVIA – A historic trial between survivors of the infamous St. Peter’s Church massacre and the Liberian government at the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria, has again been postponed after the Liberian government asked for more time to prepare for the case. This is third the…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Advocates Ask US Congressional Committee For Funding For War & Economic Crimes Courts as Dispute Spills into Open

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives Liberian human rights advocates have told a US Congressional committee that it is crucial that the US government take the lead in funding war and economic crimes courts for Liberia. The advocates, including Dr. Alan White, a former chief investigator of the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone, Elizabeth Evenson,…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

Outgoing Finance Minister Admits to a Mental Health Illness in Closed Door Donor Meeting; Experts Commend His Disclosure, Warning Against Stigma

By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MONROVIA, Liberia—Finance Minister Boima Kamara has said health issues were the cause of his absence from duty over recent months leading President Boakai to request his resignation as reported by Front Page Africa on Monday. Front Page Africa/New Narratives have learned that in a closed-door UN donor meeting on July 3…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa

After a Mysterious Press Release and Bad Start for The Office of War and Economic Crimes Courts, Advocates Demand a Reset

Leading human rights lawyer Tiawan Gongloe has condemned the process for selection of the head of the Office for the War and Economics Crimes courts By Anthony Stephens with New Narratives MONROVIA, Liberia—After a bad start to the launch of the Office for the War and Economics Crimes courts human rights advocates are demanding President…

Anthony Stephens
Frontpage Africa