By Grace Q. Bryant
Judge Ciapha Carey of the Criminal Court ‘C’ has ordered that a Writ of Arrest be served on Police Inspector General, Patrick Sudue and others for disrespecting the court’s order.
“This court says the attitude of the Liberia Police toward the court on three separate occasions have shown disrespect to the rule of law and cannot go undeterred. This court will not, therefore, grant the submission made by the Acting County Attorney because the Inspector General and his special assistant should have been present in court to ask this court for mercy,” Judge Carey ruled.
Judge Carey’s decision come following three Writs of Habeas Corpus issued by the court in favor of petitioners Edwin Daniel of Brewerville, Israel Bangura, Allison Kakata, David Kuyateh, Ousman Kamara and Joe Young.
The Writ was served to the Government of Liberia but LNP in whose possession these petitioners were and they had refused and neglected to have the petitioners bought before the court.
Instead the petitioners were taken to the Monrovia City Court after the Writ of Habeas Corpus was issued and served on the police commanding them to have the petitioners brought before the court.
“Because of their failure to bring the petitioners to this court and the disrespect showed to the court, the court had no alternative but to hold Co-respondents Sudue and others in Contempt of Court,” the judge explained.
According to him, after the Writ of Contempt was served requesting them to appear before the court on Thursday January 20, only the Acting County Attorney was present for the contempt proceedings.
Judge Carey further explained that the Attorney made his submission, begging the court for mercy, saying that he had just taken over the office of the County Attorney and that he needed time to adjust himself to the procedure regarding service of precepts or writs and he would consult his colleagues to avoid disrespecting precepts from court.
Judge Carey expressed that the submission made by Acting County Attorney begging for his colleagues cannot be sustained and granted because those seeking court’s mercy should have been present in court to show remorse for their disrespectful attitude towards the court.
He maintained that the refusal to honor the contempt issued out of the court on January 19 to appear on the January 20, is a clear manifestation of their disrespectful attitude to the court of Law.
In quoting Article 21(g) of the 1986 Constitution, the Judge stated, “The right to the Writ of Habeas Corpus being essential to the protection of human rights, shall be guaranteed at all times and any person arrested or detained and not presented to court within the period specified may in consequence exercise this right.”