By Grace Q. Bryant
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Francis Korkpor, has frowned on the recent action by some citizens of the Township of West Point for unlawfully disrupting court’s activities in the township.
Delivering a special statement at the marking of the opening of all the Circuit Courts across the country on Monday, November 8, Chief Justice Korkpor expressed shock over the citizens’ action in West Point, stressing that it has taken an unusual turn.
Last Friday, November 6, some citizens of the Township of West Point, who are non-judicial workers, stormed the local court in the township chanting slogans and disrupting normal court activities.
The citizens’ action immediately claimed the attention of the Supreme Court of Liberia with Chief Justice expressing disappointment in the manner and form of expressing their grievances.
Chief Justice Korkpor also spoke on the unfortunate display of judicial staff, Archie Ponpon, indicating that any action intended to disrupt court activities was unlawful.
“When we were opening the Supreme Court few weeks ago, they attempted to disrupt the program and with such, it tells me that this is more than the money they have been asking for,” Chief Justice Korkpor stated.
According to Justice Korkpor, “The solution is not lying down when Chief Justice parked his car, so he cannot pass; he did that same thing to the court administrator, she had to leave her car here and ride a public transport to go home,” he expressed.
Chief Justice Korkpor also said that he was shocked to have seen a Liberian citizen, a worker of the Judiciary to set himself ablaze, adding,” This is the first time I have witnessed a thing like this.” He termed as totally false and misleading rumors that some judicial employees have not taken pay for a year.
”The only month that is due is the month of October that just ended. It is the national harmonization that affected all of us, and therefore, we were all affected by the cut in salary. That is exactly what some of our employees have been protesting for and they are insisting that the government pay back the monies that were cut,” he explained.
According to him, it is an illusion for people to think that members of the Supreme Court are not part of the cuts. Justice Korkpor indicated that the pay cut was squarely initiated by central government under a program for which a law was passed.
“It hurt all of us, because everybody’s money was cut, but to believe that the money that was cut has been deposited in the accounts of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices as it has been alleged is unfortunate,” he added.
He explained further that before the program was executed, the Minister of Finance and Civil Service Association (CSA) exhibited a power point presentation providing digital clarity on the procedure of the process, but to agree that we cut their money, it is unacceptable.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Korkpor has warned against such attitudes and therefore called on the aggrieved judicial staff to peacefully assemble and present their grievance through their leaders.