Liberia: ‘The State Will Either Prosecute or Release’
Cllr. Betty M. Lamin-Blamo, nominee for Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Liberia, has pledged to review pretrial detention cases nationwide, strengthen criminal prosecutions and pursue corruption and drug trafficking cases, disclosing that 2,848 of the 4,125 persons held in the country’s prisons as of September 2026 had never been tried.
Appearing before the Liberian Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Claims and Petitions, Lamin-Blamo said the high number of pretrial detainees, many of whom cannot afford legal representation or bond, reflects serious challenges within the country’s criminal justice system.
She disclosed that Monrovia Central Prison alone holds 1,888 inmates, including 1,312 pretrial detainees, representing more than 69 percent of the prison’s population.
“These figures fall hardest on the poor, who cannot afford a lawyer or a bond,” she told senators, promising that, if confirmed, she would extend an ongoing review of pretrial detention cases at Monrovia Central Prison to correctional facilities across Liberia.
“The State will either prosecute or release in accordance with law,” she declared.
Lamin-Blamo said the review would be undertaken in collaboration with the Judiciary, Public Defenders, the Liberia National Bar Association and legal aid providers to ensure that people are not kept behind bars simply because they lack the financial means to secure legal representation.
She also called for expanded magisterial and special court sittings to accelerate the handling of cases and reduce the number of detainees awaiting trial.
The nominee emphasized that Article 21 of Liberia’s Constitution requires an arrested person to be brought before a court within 48 hours, while the law presumes every accused person innocent.
She said pretrial detention and prison overcrowding require broader policy reforms, as well as investments in correctional infrastructure.
Lamin-Blamo expressed support for the proposed correctional facility at Cheesemanburg and pledged to seek legislative funding to ensure that it is constructed to the required standard.
She also promised a nationwide assessment of prison capacity, security and infrastructure, including the installation of security cameras, solar-power systems, standardized architectural designs and scanners through transparent procurement processes.
Beyond prison reform, Lamin-Blamo pledged to strengthen the prosecution system, drawing on her experience as Solicitor General, a position she held for slightly more than four years.
During that period, she said, the Ministry of Justice recruited 29 additional prosecutors to improve access to justice, particularly at the magisterial court level, where many ordinary Liberians first encounter the judicial system.
Nine of those prosecutors were deployed outside Monrovia to handle cases, including sexual and gender-based violence.
She said the Ministry also strengthened coordination between police investigators and prosecutors, contributing to a conviction rate of 85 percent during her tenure.
Her previous work also included securing human pathology training in Ghana for three Liberian doctors and initiating the Plea Bargain Law, which has since been enacted.
She urged the Senate to pass a bill extending the terms of Circuit Courts, arguing that the measure is critical to reducing prison overcrowding.
“I recite this record not for praise, but as the foundation on which I intend to build,” Lamin-Blamo said.
If confirmed, she pledged to continue assessing the capacity of the prosecution department and develop a clear roadmap for improving its effectiveness.
She identified weak coordination between police investigators and prosecutors as one of the weakest links in Liberia’s criminal justice system, noting that cases frequently collapse because investigations are incomplete, evidence is poorly preserved or charges do not match the facts.
“Too many cases collapse not because the accused is innocent, but because investigations are incomplete, evidence was poorly preserved, or the charge did not fit the facts,” she said.
According to her, such failures undermine public confidence, allow guilty persons to escape conviction and leave innocent people languishing in detention.
Lamin-Blamo said prosecutions must be evidence-based and professionally prepared, protecting the rights of accused persons while ensuring that victims of serious crimes receive justice.
She also appealed to the Senate for budgetary support to recruit more prosecutors and increase the salaries of existing personnel, explaining that many experienced prosecutors had left the Ministry following salary harmonization.
The nominee said the workload, risks and importance of prosecutorial duties require compensation capable of attracting and retaining qualified professionals.
On the independence of the Justice Ministry, Lamin-Blamo acknowledged public concerns that prosecutorial powers could be used against political opponents while protecting allies.
She pledged that decisions to prosecute would be guided by evidence, the law and the applicable standard of proof rather than political affiliation, county of origin, wealth or social status.
“A case will be brought because the evidence supports it, and for no other reason; and a case will not be brought, however loud the demand, where the evidence does not support it,” she told the committee.
She added that she would step aside and openly disclose any conflict of interest that could affect her impartiality.
“As Minister, if I am confirmed, I will serve in the Cabinet; I will advance the President’s policy agenda and remain accountable to the President, and to this Legislature, and primarily to the Liberian people. As Attorney General, my first loyalty will be to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Liberia,” she said.
She stressed that the Ministry would serve the interests of the government and people of Liberia rather than individuals or political groups.
Lamin-Blamo also pledged stronger collaboration with the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, the General Auditing Commission and the Financial Intelligence Agency to investigate corruption, prosecute offenders and recover stolen public assets.
“Corruption in this country is a menace,” she said, adding that the government must pursue cases through judgment and ensure that recovered assets are returned to the Liberian people.
Drug trafficking was another major concern raised during her confirmation hearing. Lamin-Blamo warned that illicit drugs were damaging the lives of young Liberians and pledged to target not only street-level dealers but also importers, traders, financiers and those who protect trafficking networks.
“If we are confirmed, we will commit to pursue the importers, traders, financiers, and protectors, and settle for nothing less than dismantling the cartels, alongside rehabilitation for those struggling with addiction,” she said.
“Liberia will not be a transit country, a laundering point, or a soft place to do bad business.”
She said the success of the anti-drug campaign should not be measured simply by the number of arrests but by convictions that withstand appeals.
The nominee also pledged to prioritize sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking and the establishment of a case management system capable of tracking cases and detainees to prevent administrative failures from resulting in prolonged detention.
Lamin-Blamo described the Ministry of Justice as a central institution whose responsibilities affect every Liberian. Beyond prosecuting crimes and representing the government in court, the ministry advises the President and government agencies and supervises the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Liberia National Fire Service, and Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
She said the consistent application of the law is essential to maintaining peace, resolving disputes through the courts and ensuring that citizens can live and plan their futures with confidence.
“Peace is sustained by justice, and justice by institutions the people trust,” she told senators.
Lamin-Blamo thanked President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr. for nominating her and expressed appreciation to the Senate for exercising its constitutional responsibility to review and act on the nomination.
She also acknowledged the support and sacrifices of her husband, Patrick, and their children, saying their encouragement would be important as she prepares to confront the challenges of the justice sector.
Concluding her statement, the nominee pledged to serve with integrity, respect the Constitution, cooperate with the Senate and place the interests of ordinary Liberians at the center of decisions if confirmed.
“Public confidence is not won by speeches; it is built by a thousand ordinary decisions made correctly when nobody is watching, and lost by one made corruptly in the light,” she said.
