PHOTO: The Makeshift Tatch structure put up before the court by Lawmaker Young; the blue building is the Superintendent’s newly constructed compound near where the court is located
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
FISH TOWN, Liberia- The normal session of the 15th Judicial Circuit Court in River Gee County was early this week disrupted by the County’s District 2 Representative, Francis S. Young, who is contesting the December 8 Special Senatorial election, along with his political supporters
The disruption of the circuit court’s function happened after Judge George W. Smith sent a Sheriff of the court to Representative Young ordering him to remove a thatch structure erected in front of the court at his political office.
When the court sheriff conveyed the Judge Smith’s message to Rep. Young, the Lawmaker told him that the Judge should walk to him.
Upon return to the court, the Sheriff then informed the Judge what Rep. Young had said the he (Lawmaker) can’t walk to him.
Judge George Smith
The River Gee Lawmaker is said to have later instructed his supporters to mount speak of a musical equipment in front of the thatch structure directly facing the court, with music blaring in high volume, thereby disturbing the entire court session for Monday, November 23, 2020.
Supporters of the Lawmaker were not only playing loud music, but they were chanting battle cry and parading with chairs on their heads, because the judge had told them to remove the makeshift thatch structure.
The Circuit Court is currently operating from a container formerly used by UNMIL personnel as dwelling place, which is located between the newly constructed compound and that of Representative Young political office.
Although Rep. Young’s makeshift structure is located on his private property where his political office is also located, its location and the display by his supporters seriously disrupted the operations of the court.
When www.newspublictrust.com asked him why he defied the Judge, the River Gee County District # 2 Representative said the Judge had no authority to tell me to remove his thatch structure, because it was put up on his private property.
But he couldn’t justify why his supporters had mounted speakers playing loud music, dancing and chanting battle cry in close proximity to the Circuit Court when it was in session.