By Grace Q. Bryant
The newly-commissioned Judge of Criminal Court ‘D’, Mameita Jabateh-Sirleaf, has called on the Government of Liberia to provide resources to ensure that criminal cases are timely tried to protect the right of the accused in pre-trial detention and the right and security of those out of jail.
Delivering the charge at the opening of the Criminal Courts ‘A,B,C,D & E for the May 2023 term of court, Judge Sirleaf noted that in the mind of the authors of the constitution, the Government of Liberia should prioritize and mobilize enough resources for the speedy prosecution of criminal cases.
She said the way forward is to mobilize and make funds available to prosecute all criminal cases stressing, “As an interpreter of the law now, I will be constrained to follow the detail of the law that is, to interpret the law as it should be and it may be bad to release people accused of felonious crime, such as army robbery, but it will be equally wrong and illegal to detain an innocent person in jail for a long period who have not been found guilty.”
According to her, a prolonged detention without a trial is a violation of rights, and therefore if anyone should infringe on the constitutional rights of citizens, they too have the right to come to court for redress.
‘’I am aware of the acute shortage or lack of adequate funding to support the speedy prosecution of criminal cases and I have observed over the years that at times it is difficult for prosecutors to have access to funds for the prosecution of criminal cases,’’ she noted.
She continued that it is common knowledge that prosecutors were constrained to strike an action in demand for their allowances and other benefits.
However, she also called on staffers, lawyers, ministerial and clerical staff, members of the jury who will be working to equally reaffirm their oath and allegiance to the process that they have a role to play in ensuring that the system of justice remains responsive to the needs of the people.
Meanwhile, the Vice president of the National Association of Trial Judges of Liberia, Judge Blamo Dixon reiterated call to Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Youh to prevail on Finance Minister Samuel Tweh to regularize their salaries and benefits.
“Madam Chief Justice, I beg to draw your attention that we are sailing back to 45 to 60 days to receive one month salary; even in this electioneering period,” he emphasized.
He added: “We seriously need your intervention to regularize our salaries to be paid to us between the 25th and 30th of every month; we are opening courts today throughout the length and breadth of the Republic of Liberia without our salaries for the month of April and fuel to run our vehicles,’’ he noted.
“Some of our colleagues are traveling to the leeward counties without money to leave with their respective families and also without money to sustain them for the time being,’’ he notified the high court priest.
