Liberian Judge Named Anti-Trafficking in Persons Hero
Cornelius Wennah, a Residential Judge of Criminal Court “E”
“In a post-conflict country facing resource challenges and a weak rule of law, Judge Wennah has demonstrated tireless devotion to improving Liberia’s anti-trafficking record,” the report by the US State Department said.
The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has named Liberian-born Cornelius Wennah, a Residential Judge of Criminal Court “E”, at the Ninth Judicial Circuit, in Bong County as one of the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) Heroes.
The award is in recognition of their effort toward the fight against human trafficking and was presented at the launch of the 2022 Traffic in Person report on July 19, in Washington D.C.
The “TIP Heroes” are individuals drawn from around the world whose tireless efforts have made a lasting impact on the fight against human trafficking. And for this year, Wennah joined winners from Bangladesh, Thailand, Jordan, Poland, and Ukraine.
They are being recognized for their tireless efforts —despite some working in challenging environments where human trafficking concerns remain pervasive and face resistance, opposition, or threats to their lives — decide to protect victims, punish offenders, and mitigate the underlying factors that cause vulnerabilities traffickers often target.
“In a post-conflict country facing resource challenges and a weak rule of law, Wennah has demonstrated tireless devotion to improving Liberia’s anti-trafficking record. He was sworn in as a Residential Judge early this year,” the report by the US Department of State said.
“Prior to this position, he was Head of Felonious Crimes and a prosecutor in the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), investigating, prosecuting, and advising on anti-trafficking matters and other crimes. He is distinguished for developing anti-trafficking training curricula and serving as a trainer on a country-wide project.”
“In his last four years as a prosecutor, he prosecuted seven trafficking cases, winning five and losing one, with one remaining under appeal. These numbers are significant given Liberia’s overall low number of trafficking cases prosecuted in the past few years,” the report added. “Wennah has also advocated for the inclusion of traditional leaders and civil society organizations in Liberia’s National Anti-Trafficking Task Force.”
The report also captures some of Wanna's contributions to the fight against trafficking in Liberia as assisting the International Development Law Organization to develop an international- standard-level human trafficking training curriculum for judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement personnel, and strengthening justice sector actors’ capacities to prevent and address human trafficking.
It added that Wannah was instrumental in the development and adoption of a trafficking bench book for judges and a handbook for law enforcement and prosecutors — harmonizing international standards and local practice — without compromising on best practices, lessons learned, or international standards.
The 2022 TIP report, is the US government’s principal diplomatic and diagnostic tool to guide relations with foreign governments on human trafficking. It is also the world’s most comprehensive resource of governmental anti-trafficking efforts and reflects the US commitment to global leadership on this key human rights, law enforcement, and national security issue.
As required by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, the TIP Report assesses government efforts around the world to combat human trafficking and highlights strategies to address this crime and protect the victims. This year’s report, the 22nd installment, includes narratives for 188 countries and territories, including the United States.
Meanwhile, Wennah and five colleagues, according to the State Department, have demonstrated exemplary leadership and professionalism over the years during the discharge of their duties.
They are currently in the US, participating in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the US Department of State’s premier professional exchange program.
The meetings focused on the integral themes of prosecution, prevention, protection, and partnerships. The Heroes are also examining the compounding effects of the pandemic, exploring concerns related to racial equity and justice, and highlighting effective survivor engagement.