Monrovia – Serving as keynote speaker for the just ended seventh convention of the National Association of Trial Judges (NATJL)) in Monrovia, human rights lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe warned judges against taking bribes.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
Cllr. Gongoloe told the judges that taking bribe reduces public servants like Judges to a mere commodity, adding that bribery is the most deadly and effective means by which a public confidence in the integrity of any public servant is eroded.
He said bribery reduces public servant such as a judge or magistrate to a “mere commodity’ that can be purchased by the highest bidder.
“ When a Liberian man or woman says, don’t worry about that judge I will take care of him the notion that is immediately carried is that he knows how to influence the judge most often with money or valuable,” Cllr. Gongloe said.
Barely a week after Cllr. Gongloe’s assertion to the judges against bribery, the President of trial judges, Roosevelt Willie, has announced the establishment of an inquiry committee within the constitution of the body after the just-ended 7th Convention of the trial judges.
Judge Willie, while presiding over the occasion marking the opening of the Criminal Courts, “A”, “B” “C” “D” and “E” at the Temple of Justice on Tuesday February 13, indicated that the inquiry committee will ensure strict compliance to the values.
Willie, who is also the resident judge of Criminal Court “A”, encouraged party litigants, the public and other judges to report any judge or magistrate who may behave unethically in their respective functions.
“You can address such complaint to the President of NATJL which compliant will be forwarded to the committee, while it is true that NATJL does not have suspension power or otherwise, it can name and shame its members and even recommend to the Bench for investigation of any grave offence,” he said Judge.
He said NTJL can recommend that a member is denied benefits from the policy of promotion from within the Judiciary for acts incompatible with his/her functions as a Judge or Magistrate.
At Tuesday’s opening of the February Term of Court witnessed by Chief Justice Francis Korkpor and several legal practitioners, Judge Willie informed the body that the trial judges association has gained admission to the International Association of Judges (IAJ).
According to Willie, NATJL gained admission after a background investigation carried out by a team of Judges from the body who came into the country to make a background investigation of the country seeking admission to assess its independence, honesty and integrity.
Judge Willie said the main objective is to ensure the independence of the Judiciary, guarantee honesty and integrity by making certain that the necessary logistics are provided Judges for efficiency and effectiveness, networking among the various associations as well as protect the membership from arbitrary interference and subsequent violation of their rights.
“It is important to remind ourselves about the maxim in the law, which states that he who goes to equity must go with clean hands in other words, nether the NAJL nor the IAJ will have the face to defend anyone of us or the Association if we do not possess the requisite honesty and integrity,” said Judge Willie.
The opening of the February 2018 Term of Court, which took place across the country on Tuesday is part of the new Judiciary Law Section 3.8, provides that all Circuit Court with the exception of the 6th Judicial Circuit (Civil Law Court) shall open their quarterly sessions on the second Monday in February, May, August and November each year.
While the 6th Judicial Circuit (Civil Law Court) opens its quarterly terms on the third Monday in March, June, September and December each year.