By Precious D. Freeman
Chief Justice, Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, says the lack of control of effective oversight or supervision of emerging competing social media platforms is severely denting public confidence in the rule of law and the justice system.
She emphasized that this assertion is supported by the fact that the issues surrounding free speech and checks and balances, are overwhelmingly abused by online reporters who conveniently substitute accurate reporting for misinformation and sensational headlines.
Serving as the keynote speaker at the opening of the ongoing African Regional Group Meeting and International Conference of the International Association of Judges (IAJ) yesterday in Monrovia, Justice Yuoh stated that this singular act by media institutions could shape the public’s perception of justice in the new information age, which is not always the case.
The Chief Justice intoned that it has been observed that media institutions continue to discuss matters that are before the courts, rendering opinions as to the guilt or innocence of party litigants and painting pictures of courts’ rulings as a judge, adding, “This act continues even after the conclusion of trial, when the decision of the court is finally rendered.”
She cited a quite recent case in which government lost a criminal case involving four defendants charged by the government with money laundering, drug trafficking, and criminal conspiracy before the Criminal Court “C”.
“The empaneled jury found the defendants not guilty on all charges, meaning that the State failed and lost its case. Reeling from this blow, the then Minister of Justice, in a press conference, proceeded to criticize and ridicule the entire Judicial Branch of Government and stated that “It was worrisome and shameful for the courts to be setting hardcore criminals free in the face of overwhelming evidence”, and that the Judiciary was compromised.
The Chief Justice continued that the statement made by the former Minister of Justice was widely circulated by various media organizations, with thousands of Liberians describing the Judiciary as inherently corrupt.
She expressed that this act led to the high court adjudging both the Ministers of Justice and Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism in criminal contempt, and that several other instances of this nature have occurred over the years.
Justice Yuoh explained further that in 2013, the FrontPage Africa, a renowned newspaper, published a story accusing Chris Toe of embezzlement, among others. This story, as published by the FrontPage Africa, was captured by several local and international news networks, with thousands reading the news article referring to Toe as corrupt.
She added that feeling injured in his reputation, Toe filed a libel action against the FrontPage Africa, requesting damages in the amount of US$2 million; the trial court opened hearing into the case and, reviewing the evidence, ruled in favor of Toe, thus awarding him damages in the amount of US$1.5 million. It was only after the final verdict that the general public which believed the story as published by FrontPage Africa after raining insults on Toe, discovered that the news was actually untrue.
Justice Yuoh stated further that a classic case in point is the recent decision rendered by the Criminal Court “B” in Montserrado County in the case of Jessica Lloyd and Lucas Richards, in which prosecution indicted Richards for aggravated assault and criminal attempt to commit murder, felonies of the second degree.
“Statistics show that the population of Liberia presently stand at approximately 5.5 million, with over half comprising those of youthful age. In plain sight, it is the fact that the youths are fanatics of the internet, social media etc., and like any modern society globally, Liberian youths are hooked on this platform,” she said.
She continued that the general public and the media ran amuck with the story and rendered judgment of guilt against defendant Richard, even before the matter was adjudicated by the trial court.
“Media institutions and practitioners, bloggers, influencers and other internet users, began to make denigrating statements against the judge and the Judiciary Branch of Government as a whole, without so much as reading the trial judge’s final ruling in the case,” she stated.
The Chief Justice believes that the enormous influence that the media wields, especially in most democratic societies, must be used to propagate or disseminate factual information from authentic sources.
Speaking on the topic: “The Impact of the Media on the Public’s Perception of Justice in the New Information Age,” the Chief Justice maintained that the media has a huge impact on how the public perceives justice in every nation that has a justice system, whether or not that nation is developed, underdeveloped, or undeveloped.
“The new information or digital age is powerful; it is rapidly expanding and it is here to stay with its idea that access to and the control of information is the defining characteristic of the currant era in human civilization,” she emphasized.
“Not forgetting the fact that not all of those reporting and posting have formal or informal training in mass communication and do not have the slightest thought or conviction as to the damaging effect their actions have on that innumerable population segment,” she surmised.
She chided lawyers and the media that it is time that they change the narrative and the report contents, so that they are well-researched for public consumption.
According to her, the narrative should be changed to reflect the true happenings of events in the institutions instead of publishing sensational stories merely for fame and likes or in the case of youthful Liberia, just to prove one’s relevance since there is none to begin with.
The five-day International Association of Judges Conference under the topic” The Judiciary in Contemporary Times: Dispensing Justice in the New Information Age,” held at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex, brought together over 300 delegates of judges and jurists from across Africa, Europe, and the United States of America.
