Monrovia – Some 100 defendants in Montserrado and Margibi Counties who cannot afford legal fees stand to benefit from free legal services to be offered by the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA).
Report by Kennedy L.Yangian [email protected]
The disclosure was made when the LNBA officially opened its newly constructed legal aid clinic on Wednesday at its headquarters at the Law Library on Ashmun Street.
Giving an overview of the program, Cllr. Joyce Reeves Woods indicated that defendants who will be benefiting from the free legal services must be able to give convincing evidence that they cannot afford legal representation.
Cllr. Reeves revealed that the program came into being through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) LPAC program after a proposal was written and sent to the agency. She thanked the USAID for the program, classifying it as second to none in West Africa.
The chairperson of the LNBA Legal Aid Committee stated that the program was set for Montserrado, Margibi, Bong and Bomi Counties but has been down-scaled for Montserrado and Margibi Counties, with 16 lawyers set to carry out the initiative.
“In the course of providing the free legal service we will be looking at mediation and let the Judiciary sees the need for mediation. For certain cases you need not to go to court, you apply for mediation,” said Reeves, who stated that the country has partners who are willing to help but Liberians should be willing to work.
The gesture from the LNBA, an umbrella organization of lawyers in the country, comes at a time when the United Nations Missions In Liberia (UNMIL) Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General For Political and Rule of Law, Waldemar Very, claimed that pre-trial detainees in prison facilities in the country has reached up to 69% for April and if no strategy is put into place to reduce it, it poses a risk to the country’s peace and security.
Vrey made the remarks when he addressed judges from across the 15 counties at the just-ended first judicial retreat in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The President of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), Cllr. Moses Paegar, stated that the start of the program was a monumental moment for the LNBA in line with the motto of the LNBA which is adherence to the rule of law, they must work toward the adherence for the rule of law.
“When the people cannot get legal representation, they become hopeless and this could lead to violence,” said Cllr. Paegar.
A proxy for Chief Justice Francis Korkpor, Cllr. Ernestine Aiwar, indicated that the Judiciary has initiated the same program through the Public Defense office but the program is faced with the shortage of manpower and it’s appreciative for the LNBA to come out and work with the Public Defenders in this direction.
The representative for USAID said the program was initiated to ensure the rule of law was paramount for Liberia.