PHOTO: Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh at the court
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The Chief Justice of Liberia, Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh has questioned Judges who came in late to the opening of court on Monday, November `13, 2023 during the formal opening of the November Term of court.
Chief Justice Yuoh arrived at the ceremony earlier than Judges who were expected to be seated prior to her arrival.
Liberia’s third female Chief Justice arrived minutes before those Judges of the Criminal A,B,C and D arrived when they should have been seated before her arrival.
“Are you not seeing the time that it’s after 10am?” Chief Justice Yuoh questioned Judge Mameita Jabateh Sirleaf of Criminal Court “D”.
GENERAL RULES APPLICABLE IN ALL COURTS OF LIBERIA
Rule 1
Except for the official opening day of the term of each court, or otherwise provided by law, and the rules of the Supreme Court, all courts shall meet daily at 8:00 a.m., recess and adjournment being in the discretion of the Judge, provided that excluding holidays and Sundays, all courts shall be opened from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon on Saturdays, for the purposes of filing pleadings, issuance of writ of summons and other administrative matters in accordance with law or as may be authorized by the Judge or other authority.
Responding to the Judge’s charge, Montserrado County Attorney Alhaji Swailho Sessay , his attention was drawn to few issues which include a due process rights, pre-trial detention, among others.
Cllr. Sessay said that they at Ministry of Justice have reason why pre-trial detention is still ongoing at the Monrovia Central Prison and they are working to resolve the pre-trial detention issue.
The Montserrado County Attorney appealed to the judiciary to assist them.
He assured the judiciary and the public that the Ministry of Justice has put machinasm in place for the peaceful conduct of the election.
He appealed to the Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie to assist him with court files, indictments and other records of court to his office.
For the part, one of the public defenders assured the court that they will do their best in representing their clients.
Carlor of the public defense office said, they are in full agreement with rebranding of Judiciary so that the public interest can be restored.
“I been working hard so that some of those in jail can be accorded due process especially when some inmates have been in jail for more than two terms of court and they have the necessary documents to release some of the inmates with minor crimes, but judges have been reluctant to sign it.