PHOTO: Chief Justice Korkpor and other Associate Justices in chambers on Monday
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Francis Korkpor has served the Supreme Court of Liberia for nearly eighteen years as Associate Justice and Chief Justice and within several months he will reach 70 years of age, which the constitution mandates as an age of retirement for members of the Bench.
On Monday March 14,2022, Chief Justice Korkpor delivered his final opening address, that is the March Term of the Supreme Court as he steps down from his post in September this year.
In keeping with Article 72(b) of the 1986 constitution of Liberia which provides that “the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of subordinate courts of records shall be retired at the age of seventy”.
Minister of State McGill (Left) and Senate Pro Tempore Chie (Right) at the ceremony
According to Justice Korkpor, on September 5, this year, he will have attained the age of seventy, which means that at the next opening ceremony on the second Monday in October 2022, the Supreme Court may have a new Chief Justice or the Senior Associate Justice in keeping with the practice and procedure. The Senior Associate Justice shall be conducting the affairs of the Supreme Court and the Judiciary pending the appointment of a Chief Justice by the Liberian President.
How he attained the highest seat in the Liberian Judiciary?
Chief Justice Korkpor went to the Supreme Court Bench after many years of private practice, serving mainly as lawyer for the Catholic Church and its affiliate institutions and human rights advocacy with the Catholic Justice and Peace omission (JPC). He was first appointed to the Supreme Court Bench in 2004 during the Liberia National Transitional Government (LNTGL) headed by Charles Gyude Bryant.
Lawyers who attended the Court Opening
The outgoing Chief Justice added that the recommendation for him to serve on the Supreme Court was made by some members of the Liberian National Bar Association and members of the Supreme Court at that time, with then Chief Justice Henry Reed Cooper, Associate Justice Francis S. Korkpor Sr., John L. Greaves, Ishmael P. Campbell and Felicia V. Coleman.
And two other members of that Bench, Mr. Justice Campbell and Greaves have since died.
Chief Justice Korkpor said that the tenure of the Supreme Court as set by the Accra Peace Accord (CPA) was two years. And after the two years, all five justices of the court resigned to give way to the new democratically elected government headed by former president Sirleaf to appoint Justices of the under a constitutional government.
He was the only Justice retained and reappointed to the Supreme Court by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, when she took office in January 2006 after she won the 2005 presidential election. President Sirleaf reappointment of Justice Korkpor was based on continuity of the program activities of the court and also based on certain criteria, which she considered essential of Justice, key amongst which are knowledge of the law, integrity, and human rights records amongst others.
Others appointed to the Supreme Court Bench at the time were Johnnie N. Lewis and Associate Justice J. Emmanuel Wureh, Gladys K. Johnson and Kabineh M. Ja’neh. But Associate Justice Wureh later died after a brief and distinguished service on the Lewis’ Bench.
Speaking during the March Term opening of court, Chief Justice Korkpor disclosed that after Johnnie Lewis resigned in September 2012, due to illness, he was appointed as Chief Justice by former president Sirleaf which the Liberian people overwhelmingly endorsed and no one or institutions raised any issue against his appointment.
Serving as head of the Supreme Court Bench, he and his colleagues have worked assiduously to improve conditions in the Judiciary, the outgoing Liberian Chief Justice reported, outlining achievement of the court over the years.
He said the Henry Reed Cooper Bench was ushered in after the devastating Civil war that ravaged Liberia including all institutions with the judiciary of no exception. Therefore, the core concern of that Bench was rehabilitating and repairing Court structures. In that regards, the Supreme Court worked closely with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). In addition to support received from the Liberian government, the quick impact project program of UNMIL was instrumental in repairing and or constructing court facilities throughout the country with emphasis on magistrate courts.
The Cooper bench was credited with laying the basis for realistic salary structure for judicial workers especially Circuit and specialized court judges.
Under the johnnie Lewis bench, more reform programs were envisioned and some were implemented. Two Judicial complexes were built in Sinoe and Gbapolu counties. On the grounds of the Temple of Justice, four new Court houses were constructed which now host Criminal Courts C, D and the Civil Law courts. The James A.A. Judicial institute was established to train support staff and give refresher courses to judges and magistrates; the institution also took on the task of recruiting and training professional magistrates and the public defense program which was also established.
Chief Justice Korkpor’s own achievements
During his tenure, additional judicial complexes were constructed in Barclayvillle, Grand Kru, Zwedru, Grand Gedeh, Sanniquellie, Nimba and Tubmanburg Bomi Counties respectively which are all in full use today.
Additionally, Justice Korkpor said judicial complexes are being constructed in Fishtown, River Gee County and Cestos City, Rivercess counties.
A judicial complex is a structure consisting of several court facilities such as the circuit court, debt court, labor court, tax court, revenue court, traffic court and magistrate court. It also contains offices of the County Attorney, public defender and probation and parole officers.
Under his administration, they also built and continue to build magistrate courts throughout the country either with direct funding from the government of Liberia or development partners.
The office of the court administrator has been improved and invigorated three news sections which include the inspectorate section, public affairs and the project sections and those sections were created for efficiency and productivity.
Successfully, conducted the three circles of the professional the magistrate training programs.
Magistrate sitting program at the Monrovia Central prison aimed at curbing or minimizing prolonged detention without trial and said program is yielding fruitful results and which to extend it to other counties if funding are provided.
They also established Criminal Courts “E” in Bong and Nimba counties to handle sexual gender violence cases. In order to engender public confidence in the Judicial Inquiry commission(JIC), and the Grievance and Ethic committee (GEC), two organs working under the aegis of the Supreme Court to curb ethical misconducts in the Judiciary, they expanded the composition of the two bodies which continued to take stern actions against judges and lawyers who are guilty of corruption or professional misconduct.
The national jury service was also established at the Temple of Justice with sub offices in in other parts of the country and the news pension law working for retired justices and judges which justices and judges are today receiving pension benefits through the judiciary without hindrance amongst several others.
Chief Justice Korkpor lauded the Liberian government and development partners toward the Judiciary during his tenure.
The Supreme Court opened its March Term with four Justices in attendance. Justice Joseph N. Nagbe was absent because he is currently, in Ghana seeking medical treatment.
The Court opening was attended by Senate Pro-tempore Albert T. Chie and Minister of State of Presidential Affairs Nathaniel McGill and a Lawyers of the Supreme Court Bar.
Justice Min. Dean hails Chief Justice
For his, part, Justice Minister Frank Musa Dean lauded the outgoing Chief Justice for his tireless and invaluable services rendered the Judiciary.
Justice Minister Dean said, Chief Justice Korkpor served the people of Liberia during some of the nation’s most challenging and turbulent times.
Minister Dean added that Chief Justice Korkpor will be remembered for his commitment and dedication in reforming the judiciary and his Mark will go down in history.
Meanwhile, the LNBA president, Cllr. Sylvester Rennie has called on Members of the Supreme Court Bench to always include the LNBA to investigate it member character before admitting them to the Supreme Court Bar.