"Corruption Is Turning Justice into a Distant Promise" - AFELL Backs CENTAL's 2025 Report

Monrovia, Liberia:The Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) has thrown its full support behind the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia's (CENTAL) 2025 State of Corruption Report, warning that corruption has become a direct threat to justice, public confidence, and the country's democratic future.

The endorsement came during the launch of the report at a national dialogue held at the Royal Grand Hotel in Sinkor, where government officials, members of the legal profession, civil society organizations, youth leaders, and development partners gathered to assess the state of corruption in Liberia and discuss ways to strengthen accountability within public institutions.

Representing AFELL at the event, the association's Vice President, Cllr. Bowoulo Taylor Kelley, praised CENTAL for consistently exposing governance challenges and creating a platform for honest national conversations on corruption and accountability.

She described the 2025 State of Corruption Report as more than a research document, saying it serves as "a mirror held up to our national conscience." She noted that the report challenges Liberians to confront uncomfortable truths, recognize institutional failures, and commit themselves to building a culture of integrity and transparency.

Cllr. Kelley stressed that corruption should not be viewed merely as a political or financial issue, arguing that it has devastating consequences for ordinary Liberians who depend on public institutions for essential services, justice, and protection.

According to her, corruption weakens public services, erodes confidence in state institutions, restricts access to justice, and disproportionately affects women, children, indigent citizens, survivors of violence, and other vulnerable groups who often rely on government systems for support.

"For these groups, corruption can determine whether protection is available, whether cases are handled fairly and promptly, and whether justice becomes a lived reality or remains only a distant promise," Cllr. Kelley said, emphasizing that the cost of corruption is measured not only in lost public funds but also in broken lives and denied opportunities.

She further maintained that the fight against corruption cannot be separated from the rule of law, stressing that lawyers and judicial actors have a responsibility to defend accountability and ensure that justice remains accessible to every Liberian regardless of status or influence.

"As members of the legal profession and as female lawyers committed to advancing and protecting the rights of all people, AFELL recognizes that combating corruption is essential to ensuring justice, equality, and the effective functioning of democratic institutions," she stated, urging stronger national commitment to transparency and ethical leadership.