The Chief Justice of Liberia Francis Korkpor has clarified claims made by Judge Siakjipo Wollor against him (Chief Justice) that he is indebted to him.
It can be recalled that the Judge of Criminal Court “D” Sikajipo Wollor alleged that Chief Justice Francis S.KorKpor refused to pay him his Resettlement and Restitution Benefits for two court terms which he termed as flagrant violations of his Human and Constitutional rights.
Judge Wollor said that he served two terms of Court without receiving his Resettlement and Restitution Benefits from the Judiciary and had engaged Chief Justice Francis KorKpor ,Associate Justices on the Supreme but they had refused to address his concerns.
According to Judge Wollor, even his assigned driver had not been paid by the Judiciary but rather being paid by him from 2019 to present and the Personnel Development had not been able to place his driver on the Judiciary official pay roll.
Judiciary Cannons Number six states that Judges and government officials must be paid adequately because they hold exalted positions which prevent them from engaging in any Business Pursuit; therefore they must be provided with the necessity of life and with every means by which they will be able to perform their judicial duties effectively, efficiently and speedily.
But responding to the allegation, the Chief Justice clarified saying, “The amount in question is relocation fees, meaning when a Judge is taken from his / her Circuit and assigned to another, we provide certain amount to have him or her adjusted in the new place for two or three weeks.”
Adding, “It is strange and very unusual for a Judge to take to the media in keeping with the canon that Judges are not to do rebuttal or newspaper publications,” he expressed regrets .
He maintained that Judges have the right to express themselves but it must be done in proper channels or through an opinion.
“This Judge that I am making reference to is saying that I assigned him to two Circuit Courts and therefore he should receive two relocation fees; this is something I have never heard before,” he explained.
In conclusion, the Chief Justice averred that no judge in Liberia can say he/she is assigned to a court and that judge has not received relocation fees-described such allegation as false and malicious.