Speaking During Bong County Court Opening, He Also Urged Jurors To Rightly Dispense Justice
PHOTO: Justice Yamie Gbeisay (above) and Image from the fuel tanker fire
By J. Peter S. Dennis, dennisrealone@gmail.com
GBARNGA, Liberia- Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has called for more investigation into the Totota fuel tanker Fire disaster that killed over 70 people recently.
Justice Gbeisay made the call when he spoke here during the opening of the February Term of the Circuit Court earlier this week.
According to the Liberian Associate Justice, the probe into the fuel tanker fire disaster will unearth circumstances leading to the incident in the central Bong County.
The investigation and subsequent recommendation will deter others from engaging into harmful practices, Justice Gbeisay added.
On December 26, 2023, a nine thousand gallon tanker veered off the road.
Minutes later, many residents of Totota began by scooping the gasoline despite several warnings from state security officers.
The tanker subsequently exploded with many trapped inside.
So far, according to local media report, there are over 80 deaths with over a hundred of them injured and are seeking treatment across the renowned hospitals including the J.F.K. Medical Hospital, Phebe Hospital, etc.
This, the Supreme Court Associate Justice noted that, it was due to the lack of legal education that led to their unfortunate deaths and injuries.
He encouraged civil society organizations and the Bong County Bar Association to stage continuous awareness to avoid these acts.
At Bong County Court Opening, Justice Gbeisay Urges Jurors To Rightly Dispense Justice
At the same time, the Associate Justice has admonished jurors to rightly dispense justice.
The Liberian Lawyer also warned them against taking bribes.
His comments were contained in a special statement he delivered during the official opening ceremony of the 9th Judicial Circuit and Sexual Offenses Courts for the February A.D. Term in Gbarnga, Bong on Tuesday.
According to article 3.8 of the Judicial Laws of Liberia, Each judicial circuit shall meet four times a year in quarterly sessions.
The First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Judicial Circuits of the Circuit Court shall open their quarterly sessions on the second Monday in February, May, August, and November in each year
But the Tuesday’s opening was due to the celebration of the Armed Forces of Liberia which was postponed to Monday since it was on Sunday.
Also remarking at the event Tuesday, Bong County stipendiary Magistrate calls for the rebranding of the judicial system in Liberia.
His Honor Titus Railey said the system can’t function well when some courts are operating in private homes, market building, and misshaped buildings in Bong County.
He thinks it doesn’t mean well for the country’s judicial system.
The Bong County Stipendiary magistrate is further appealing to the county’s leadership to construct additional courts across the county to mitigate these embarrassments.
So far, he stressed that the Gbarnga Magisterial Court and the Botota Magisterial court are the two courts that are in good conditions, while others are operating from private homes, market building and misshaped areas.
At the same time, Magistrate Titus Railey has disclosed that the Debt and Traffic Courts don’t have assigned judges for years thus pressuring the stipendiary magistrate to commute between the two courts in the county.
He however wants the situation addressed to rightly dispense justice in the county.
At the same time, the regional coordinator for the Justice and Peace Commission, Mr. George Philip Mulbah is craving for the proactivity of the Bong County Bar Association.
Mr. Mulbah stressed that the slow pace of the Bar to have a functional office in Bong County has led to many residents being their own lawyers.
He thinks there’s a wide gap that needs to be filled.
According to him, these lawyers are only focusing in Monrovia and are not providing much legal awareness for their people back home.
At the same time, the regional JPC coordinator wants the pretrial detainees’ cases handled to avoid over-crowdedness of the Gbarnga Prison Compound.
Currently, there are 289 inmates at the Gbarnga Central Prison instead of 130 inmates as was originally intended.
Also, the Deputy Superintendent at the Gbarnga Central Prison, Gbolomen Siakor, has complained of the lack of electricity and office clerk as challenges at the facility.
She however, wants these challenges speedily handled to avoid continuous embarrassments.