By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Monrovia- Introduction of digitization is posing a major challenge to Journalists covering Temple of Justice in getting court records.
Journalists have made efforts to access court documents for the past one week but to avail, as clerical staffers have said no data was available to email those court records to Journalists.
Ever since she took over as head of the Judiciary in August 2022, Chief Justice, Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh said as part of the rebranding of the judiciary, operations of the court would be digitized.
This purported rebranding has led to court of records not giving hard copies of court documents because they are no longer supplied with stationaries and logistics.
However, party litigants who usually go to court with cases, have been told not to stand in the corridors of the courtyard even though there’s no definite place for those party litigants to sit and await their cases but it all bow down to rebranding of the Judiciary.
Imagine the Judiciary doesn’t have access to Wi-Fi in this technology world.
Obtaining Document from the different Courts at the Judiciary that is the third branch of government has become a challenging one for journalists covering the various courts.
For about a week, several attempts have been made by journalists in obtaining court minutes but yield no result as some court staffs have complaint about lack of ink and internet package to send out emails.
It seems that the supply of data is not forthcoming, as some court officers have been explaining of challenges it processing..
Since her appointment as Chief Justice in August 2022, Sie-A- G. Yuoh has emphasized efforts to rebrand the Judiciary, ranging from moving court operations from Analogue to digital.
During the opening of the October Term of the Supreme Court of Liberia, she reiterated her position on modernizing the courts; as such, making reference to the Monrovia City Court Judge who is in line with the rebranding process.
Chief Justice Yuoh called for the rebranding of the Judiciary to create a strong positive image and perception of the branch of government responsible to interpret the laws in Liberia. This she said has been discouraging; as such, it will evidently engender greater public trust and dependability in the judicial system.
Her latest decision to rebrand the Judiciary comes after the United States Department of States released its 2021 reports on Human Rights, which suggested that the lack of independence in the Liberian justice system is marred by corruption and imbalance in the dispensing of justice.
“Our brand marks will entail improvement in the quality of Judicial services provided in our courts across the country by elevating the quality of personnel at the Judiciary, whilst at the same time, working to improve the infrastructure that will provide a conducive work environment,” Chief Justice Yuoh noted.
According to her, it will also strengthen the system of monitoring and evaluation on job performance, to ensure that professionalism becomes the hallmark at the Liberian Judiciary rather than business.
The Chief Justice has said the Judiciary will embark on massive public awareness of the functions of the Liberian Judicial system by using the various communication methods and tools to ensure that the Liberian people and other nationals residing in this country are fully educated on the workings of the judicial system.
“To monitor and evaluate the performance of our Magistrates and to enhance efficiency and restore order on our magisterial courts, the bench has also evoked Section 7.5, “the Liberian Chief Justice maintained. Quoting Section 7.5 of the Judiciary Law as amended in 2013, Justice Yuoh said.
She added: “A Stipendiary magistrate shall hold office for a period of four years and shall be eligible for re-appointment but he may be removed from office by the president prior to the expiration of his term of office for cause established by an investigation conducted by the Judiciary Inquiry Commission.”