PHOTO: Cllr. Frank Musa, Justice Minister
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia –As new Chief Justice disclosed that she is open to constructive criticism.
Liberia’s Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean has said that the Temple of Justice, seat of the Judiciary and “our courts are not hustle ground sfor lawyers”.
The Justice Minister, who is Dean of the Supreme Court Bar, was speaking at the Opening of the Supreme Court and seating of the new Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh on Monday, October 10, 2022 in response to her opening address.
Cllr. Dean’s statement comes in the wake of reports that some practicing lawyers are in the constant habit of filing unnecessary motions or resorting to remedial processes, to delay justice or hand justice, something the country’s Attorney General emphasized must be discouraged.
The practice of filing frivolous suit should be condemned, decried and finally eliminated, he said.
Minister Dean added that to end this, we should consider compensation for the prevailing party who is onerously and strenuously subjected to frivolous suits should be condemned, decried and finally eliminated.
Compensate prevailing party subjected to frivolous lawsuit
He indicated that to end this, Liberia should consider compensation for the prevailing party who is onerously and strenuously subjected to frivolous lawsuit, because “our courts are not hustle grounds”.
He further said that to end this, we should consider compensation for the prevailing party who is onerously and strenuously subjected to frivolous suit because our courts are not hustle grounds.
Justice Minister Dean noted that since Liberia ascended to the United Nations conventions on the elimination and all forms of discrimination against women and girls, the country has made tremendous progress in promoting gender equality.
Minister Dean noted that women are found in powerful positions in the government has strengthened our laws to end violence against women and girls.
According to Minister Dean, the rape law, children law and the domestic violence law are all being vigorously enforced.
The Liberian Justice Minister added that there is now a gender section in all almost every government ministry and agency of government.
He indicated that the proposed 30% gender quota in the legislature will soon be signed into law.
Minister Dean therefore lauded the feminist in chief president George Weah for his achievements so far.
Justice Minister Dean welcome the commitments of the new Chief Justice to continue the dispose of justice without fear or favor.
“We commend your readiness to continue to treat all party litigants appearing before you equally without regard to status, whether rich or poor,” he added.
Meanwhile, Minister Dean has said the lady blindfolded symbolizes that justice should be rendered without passion or prejudice.
“While procedures are important as they govern the deposition of the matters, they should not be unduly preferred over substance. Thus it may be necessary to simplify and or dispense with some of our procedures which impede the speedy deposition of cases,” Justice Minister Dean said.
Chief Justice Yuoh: What happens if criticism not constructive?
However, the new Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh on Monday October 10,2022 said that she is even open to constructive criticisms, but pointed out: what happens if the criticism is not constructive?
“Like Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the 1stfemale Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, I strongly believe that “our liberty has no refuge in a jurisprudence of doubt and that the freedom to criticize judges and other public officials is necessary to a vibrant democracy.”
Liberia’s new Chief Justice added that To achieve this, “we are determined to administer justice without fear or favor pursuant to Article 11(b)(c) of the Constitution which states “all persons, irrespective of ethnic background, race, sex, creed, place of origin, or political opinion, are equal before the law and therefore entitled to the equal protection of the law. It should be noted that this ideal of equal rights is so sacrosanct to the Judiciary that they are embellished on the walls of the Temple of Justice in the following words: “Let Justice Be Done To All”.
“This is the creed of all the courts of this Republic, including the Supreme Court. From the administration of Chief Justice Samuel Benedict in 1848 to the administration of Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor Sr., every administration of the Judiciary, including this Yuoh Bench has labored and will continue to uphold this creed. In the case, East African Company v. Dunbar 1LLR 279, 280 (1895) the Supreme Court articulated this creed by holding thus:
“The law makes no distinction between men when before it; the high and low here are both on an equal level. The law, while just, has no sympathy; it neither makes men rich nor poor; hence the claim to be rich can have no influence with it; and to plead poverty can awaken no sympathy.”