The Chairperson of the Senate’s Committee on Ways, Means, Finance and Budget, Prince Kermue Moye, has described the upholding of the rule of law and access to justice as the fulcrum of Liberia’s fledgling democracy.
According to him, there can be no sustained peace and development in the absence of freedom and justice in any country; as such, a fragile country like Liberia, which experienced years of civil conflicts, is no exception.
He made these assertions when he delivered the keynote address at the Seventh Annual Convention of the National Association of Public Defenders of Liberia (NAPDOL) held at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia on Thursday, January 9, 2025.
He said, “As we take a deep dive into the role of public defenders in the judicial system, its prospects and challenges, it is important to know that upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all is at the fulcrum of our cherished democracy.”
“And is the foundation upon which our nation thrives. Even in post-war Liberia, we must all aspire to guarantee freedom and justice for all as a means of maintaining the peace that we all enjoy today,” the Bong County Senator noted.
Speaking on the topic “The Role of Public Defenders In Ensuring Liberty and Justice for All”, Moye stressed that the foundation of Liberia is premised on the values of freedom and justice for all Liberians regardless of their social statuses, economic standings, political preferences, cultural orientations, and religious affiliations.
He maintained that adherence to the rule of law and ensuring liberty and justice for all is very central to Liberia’s economic and democratic progress, and noted, “It is also pivotal to our survival and progress as a people and nation.”
According to him, statistics continue to show that a higher percentage of Liberians highly trust customary justice actors to dispense justice than the former justice actors, and he said, “We must galvanize our efforts and work to ensure that reforms are responsive to this reality.”
He indicated that the government can create a platform for leveraging the roles of such customary justice actors through the creation of more transparent and clear-cut rules of engagement between them and the former justice system while also strengthening and empowering the former system to be a better alternative for people.
Moye also emphasized that it is now time to ensure a reputable and credible justice system in Liberia, and admonished legal actors saying, “Professional legal organizations like NAPDOL have their roles to play, individual lawyers have to give their best for their clients, judges must do due diligence in the discharge of their duties. And for us in the legislature, coordination is key to the achievement of these objectives.”
He noted that as a matter of high importance, judicial credibility is crucial due to growing instances of mob violence, where people take the law into their own hands, thereby calling on citizens to see the courts as the best place to settle their issues or dissatisfaction instead of engaging into acts of lawlessness to paint their country ugly to the outside world.
Meanwhile, Sen. Moye added that when public defenders are winning a lot more cases for Liberians who cannot afford the cost of legal services, Liberia and its citizens are inching closer to attaining liberty and justice for all.
He encouraged Public Defenders to invest as much time and show as much passion in defending their clients who have nothing to offer in return for their legal services in the same manner and form they (Public Defenders) defend clients who have everything to offer for the same quality of service.
“When periodic judicial updates begin to show effective and efficient legal services to clients and courts by public defenders, it drives trust and confidence in the process and everyone will eventually be assured of justice,” he asserted.
He added that as the judiciary seeks to deliver on five strategic thematic objectives of its current strategic plan under the theme “Rebranding the Liberian Judiciary”, NAPDOL, as a vital subset of the judiciary, has a critical role to play towards this actualization.
The Senator urged that no matter the circumstances, diversities and preferences, the government and its citizens must defend, “to the depth of our strengths, everyone’s right to liberty and justice.”
He, however, pledged to work with his colleagues at the Legislature to ensure that Public Defenders adequately benefit from budgetary allocation to the Judiciary branch of the Liberian government.
