By Grace Q. Bryant
The Supreme Court has adjudged the Government of Liberia guilty for the recent release issued on the Judicial in the US$1 Million drug case.
The High Court over the weekend, ruled that considering the first offense by the contemnors, and the Supreme Court having the responsibility to protect the courts of the Republic, Cllr Frank Musah Dean and Minister Ledgerhood J. Rennie, are to separately publish once a week for three weeks, in three widely read newspapers of Liberia, an apology to the Judiciary Branch of Government, to include therein a retraction of the May 20, 2023 statement within 72 hours, as of rendition of the Judgment and a copy of each publication filed with the Clerk of the Court.
The Supreme Court added that the contemnors are each fined the sum of US$500, to be paid into the Government’s revenue within 72 hours, as of the rendition of the Judgment, and to present a receipt therefore to the Marshal of the Court; adding that failure of which, the Clerk of the Court is ordered to issue a commitment to be placed in the hands of the Marshal for their imprisonment in the common jail of Montserrado County, until and unless they abide by the mandate.
“The Clerk of this Court is ordered to communicate to the contemnors the Judgment of this Court,” the High Court mandated.
According to the court ruling, the Supreme Court has opined that a disclaimer of intent, coupled with a plea for mercy by the contemnors are insufficient to quash the charges of contempt, and that want of intention is no excuse to purge contempt charges against a lawyer who has made opprobrious imputations to the courts and the Judiciary.
Hence, in the present case, the contemnors must be adjudged on the strength of the law and not sentiments.
The High Court furthered that the utterances and statements by the Co-contemnor, Cllr Frank Musa Dean, intended to undermine the dignity and integrity of the courts and to bring the entire Judicial Branch of Government into public and international disrepute, are criminally contemptuous.
Likewise, the unprofessional publication of those utterances by Co-contemnor Ledgerhood J. Rennie without regards for the truth is also criminally contemptuous,” the Court explained.
The Court revealed that the statement by the Minister of Justice and its publication by the Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, having unjustifiably damaged the image of our Judicial system, the Ministers are each guilty of criminal contempt, which requires comparable punishment, in order to deter others who might want to embark upon similar effrontery towards the courts of this Republic.
