The 4th Judicial Circuit Court in Maryland County has on its docket the total of 15 criminal cases with 64 civil cases for the ensuing August term of court with rape taking the highest number.
At the court’s opening on August 12, 2024 in the Administration building in Harper City, it was revealed that during this term, the court is expected to preside over seven statutory rape cases, one rape couple with aggravated assault, involuntary sodomy, one rape and theft of property bringing the number of rape cases to nine.
Delivering his charge, the Reliving Judge, Nelson Chinneh, spoke on ‘Upholding Judicial Integrity: A Way Of Working Against Negative Perception’ and narrated that the Judiciary over the years, has ruined public confidence by all forms of judicial manipulations, interference and corruption.
He said to restore the lost image of the Judiciary requires sincere efforts or commitment of all judicial actors to include judges, prosecuting, defense and private lawyers and the jury, clerical staff ministerial officers as well as the press and the general public.
According to him the manner and form in which justice actors’ behave in discharging their respective tasks generally impact the public perception of the court system in Liberia.
He pointed out that judge as a judicial officer must at all-time exhibit the sense of neutrality.
“A Judge is expected to possess some basic qualities, to include but not limited to been knowledgeable in the law and be a man and woman of integrity. As judges, it is our responsibility to make decisions in cases brought before us based on the evidence produced at trial and the law controlling. The trial process should at all-times be opened to the general public, meaning, anyone desirous of attending the trial can come in to witness the trial process,” Judge Chinneh maintained.
He called on judges to refrain from passing judgment without due process adding that due process is that principle of law that requires an accused to be accorded an opportunity to be heard prior to being condemned.
He also said lawyers should avoid stirring up litigation; something, he described as unethical and should not be encouraged.
“If the image of the Judiciary must be positively restored, legal education must be mandatory and that same must not be conditioned on Liberia National Bar Association’s Convention but instead, the Judicial Institute must be empowered and equipped at all-times to provide continued legal education for all justice sector actors, to include lawyers,” Judge Chinneh stressed.
In remarks, the lone public defender, Adolphus Taylor, expressed gratitude in the Supreme Court for adhering to his recommendation by sending another lawyer, attorney Dominic Swor, to contribute to his effort in the jurisprudence.
According to attorney Taylor, their work as defense lawyers is not to protect people who are perceived to be doer of evil but to give everyone the opportunity to a fair trial and human dignity and this is why the presumption of cases is very cardinal in the judicial system of Liberia.
“Everyone charged or accused under the law of Liberia for the commission of a crime is presumed innocent and unless our system can see this reality, we will not get anywhere because someone is accused and you judge them before bringing them to trial knowing that what will happen to them has been our serious problem and this one of the major reasons why we don’t believe in jungle justice,” Attorney Taylor narrated.
In furtherance, the attorney explained that it is not the duty of prosecution to convict but to see that justice is done adding that prosecution’s job is to convict the guilty and to protect the innocent; it is the estimation of mankind.
He said cautioned the citizens that the court can never be the instrument of any government or agent of anybody.
