Monrovia – Access to justice remains a challenge across the country but for Grand Gedeh County, it is quite different now as 23 inmates have benefitted from the public defense program.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
The 23 defendants, according to a report gathered from the office of the Public Defender in Grand Gedeh, has been held on various multiple criminal offenses including rape, murder, manslaughter, burglary.
Other crimes for which the defendants have been held also include simple assault, criminal mischief, theft of property and criminal coercion.
Public defender, Atty. Nyankpae Daye whose office released the report, said during the February 2017 Term of Court, his office made the total representation of 14 cases.
He stated that out of the 14 cases, six were heard at the level of the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Gedeh County, seven heard at the level of the magisterial court and one at the Zwedru Police Charge of Quarters.
At the circuit court, Atty. Dave revealed that there were two jury trials with a return and each ended in a guilty verdict while another bench trial also ended with a guilty verdict.
“Also at the circuit court, three motions were filed – two of which were a motion to admit to bail and another motion to drop a charge against the defendant which was granted by the presiding Judge James Gilayeneh,” he said.
“Also at the magistrate court in the county, seven cases were heard, in four of the cases two of the defendants were found guilty and two other found not guilty while three cases were dismissed as per 18.1 of the Criminal Procedure Law and one intervention was made at the LNP Station in Zwedru and the case was drop due to lack of probable cause.”
In an interview with FPA Tuesday at the Temple of Justice during the presentation of his report, Atty. Dave stated that under his watch as the Public Defender in the county, he has realized that Police in the county are in the habit of treating juveniles who come in conflict with the law like adults especially juveniles caught in gender-based cases such as rape.
“The law provides that juveniles who come in conflict with the law should be turned over to their parents for care but in Grand Gedeh County, the case is different as Police treat juveniles who come in conflict with the law as adults,” he revealed.
He appealed to the Ministry of Justice for the Parole/ Probation Board to extend its service to the county.
“Additionally, Sir, this has been over one year now, we have been complaining about the extension of the Parole/Probation Board to the Southeastern region, especially Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County that hosts one of the largest prison facilities in the country.
The absence of these programs directly denied inmates their rights under our laws as per chapters 31, 33, 34 and 35 of the Criminal Procedure Law.”