According to information gathered, state prosecutors are currently funding prosecution out of own pockets due to lack of financial support from the Justice Ministry.
State prosecutors are working on “sell-pay,” a practice that involves individuals or organizations taking goods and services to be sold within a given period, with payment made only after the sale.
However, in this context, prosecutors are using their funds to cover the costs of their official duties.
Several prosecutors disclosed that since the terms of court in August and November, 2023 and continuing up to May of 2024, they have not received any prosecution funds from the Justice Ministry instead, they have to absorb the costs themselves.
This financial burden has caused significant strain, with one prosecutor noting, “Our wives are no longer reasoning with us because of the financial constraints in our homes.”
The situation has forced prosecutors to purchase essential office supplies, such as stationery and scratch cards, out of their own pockets.
It has become a routine for indictments, which are supposed to remain confidential until their release, to be printed at commercial printing centers due to the lack of office equipment like laptops and printers.
Even when equipment are available, the absence of electricity in courts, stemming from the lack of fuel for generators, hampers their use.
“This is sad and places an enormous burden on prosecutors to use their meager salaries to fund government prosecutorial work,” one prosecutor lamented.
Prosecutors are also bearing the cost of transporting inmates to and from court every day during trials.
In response to these challenges, prosecutors are demanding the Liberian government and the Justice Ministry to address these issues promptly.
Solicitor General Augustine Fayiah, in a recent face-to-face interaction, acknowledged the problem and stated that efforts are underway to address some of the urgent needs of prosecutors.
Despite President Joseph Nyumah Boakai’s inaugural pledge that there would be “no business as usual,” which is interpreted as avoiding the ugly things being done in the past, the current situation suggests otherwise.
This situation is severely hindering the effectiveness of the justice system as prosecutors continue to use their limited salaries to perform duties that should be funded by the Ministry of Justice.
