Liberia: Judge Alarms Increasing Violation of Individuals Rights by Law Enforcers

GBARPOLU – The Resident Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Gbarpolu County, Zuballah A. Kizeku, is cautioning law enforcers to always stick to the law while arresting individuals or groups of people alleged to have committed one crime or another.

Judge Kizeku noted that the increasing wave of wrongful arrests by law enforcers was responsible for the overcrowdedness of prisons around the country. 

He claimed in most instances, law enforcers discriminate against their arrest and the criminal justice process, by going after cases that have money.

According to the Judge, he sometimes dismisses a lot of cases because law enforcement officers mostly violate the rights of defendants even before proceeding with them to court.

He said that during the arrest of someone, the law enforcer should abreast the suspect of the reason he or she is being arrested. “Most often these things are not done and once the defendants go to court, these become merits for dismissal of that case,” he said.

Judge Kizeku said the criminal justice system that starts with arrest and detention before evidence is giving rise to impartial justice and is responsible for the overcrowdedness of prisons across the country.

“Law enforcers should try to secure evidence before effecting the arrest of individuals or persons accused of crimes.

“When individuals who are accused of committing crimes are arrested and detained and the State begins to secure evidence, it has the propensity of overcrowding the prison and it also places huge burdens on government when it comes to feeding those placed behind bars,” he said.

Judge Kizeku was speaking Monday at the opening of the August Term of Court.