PHOTO: River Gee Circuit Court
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
FISH TOWN, Liberia– Due to the lack of proper structure to host inmates, reports from the 15th Judicial Circuit Court in River Gee County say an inmate has escaped while in handcuffs, after pleading not guilty to his alleged rape charge.
This was during his appearance in court on Monday, June 5,2023.
The court continues to suffer setbacks in the dispensing justice, as the lack of proper infrastructure to host the court is serving as major imperilment.
River Gee’s 15th Judicial Circuit Court, which was established in conformity with the Judiciary Law – (formally – Title 17 – Liberian Code of Laws,) to provide original jurisdiction is in court matters, is currently being run from the residence of assigned Judge Wesseh A. Wesseh
Section 3.2. of the judicial law provides that the Circuit Court shall exercise original general jurisdiction, including jurisdiction in admiralty cases, over all cases as to which another court is not expressly given exclusive original jurisdiction by constitutional or statutory provision.
However, this Circuit Court has not been able to adequately live up with the objective for which it was established, this Reporter has learned.
The lack of facilities to host the court is not the only a challenge of the court. The lack of man power and human resources to functionally run the court.
These challenges being face by the court over the period have posed some setbacks in its function, with some alleged criminals being tried escaping.
The rape defendant who escaped during his trial on Monday, Thomas Karpeh Collins was indicted for Statutory Rape by the 15th Judicial Circuit Court on September 1, 2021 and arraigned before the Court, presided over by His Honor WESSEH ALPHONSUS WESSEH on Thursday, June 1, 2023, escaped the court.
Due to the lack of human resources at the court, the trial was at the same time scheduled with the continuation of Jurors selection on Monday, June 5, 2023, at which time Thomas Karpeh Collins was brought to court to face trial on the charge of rape leveled against him.
While the jurs selection was ongoing, he told the Prison officer that brought him to court that he wanted to use the toilet and since the court which is now been housed in a private home with no good toilet or bathroom, he was taken in the nearby Community in hand cuff to answer to the call of nature and then escaped from the Prison officer in hand cuff.
His escape from the court officer therefore put the trial in jeopardy.
Judge WESSEH ALPHONSUS WESSEH has frowned on the Prison officer and is threatening to jail the officer for negligence if the defendant is not found in days.
Also, Judge Wesseh has noticed the poor infrastructure and under staffing facing the court with only two Biliffs, serving the entire court, with one serving as Acting Sheriff since the Mìnistry of Justice has retired the County Sheriff Joseph Choloply, making it difficult for the court to serving court’s precepts.
Meawhile, Judge Wesseh has suspended the trial for days and lamented that if the court was well structured, the unfortunate situation of alleged criminals escaping trial would not have occurred.