Monrovia – Though the walls of the building remain very solid, yet, the interior and exterior parts of it are very untidy and the faded paint peeling off the walls.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
“We don’t have money that’s why we haven’t painted but our building is one of the tidiest among government buildings” – Ambrose Nmah
Temple of Justice – the building that hosts the third branch of the Liberian Government was built in the 60’s received a major face lift during the tenure of the late Chief Justice Johnnie N. Lewis – making the building an attraction on Capitol Hill.
However, the Temple of Justice is losing its glory that it was so much artistically endowed with.
It is quite easy to notice the filth that has engulfed the building from all sides unless for its foreyard which faces the main entrance.
In the National Budget, US$54,000 has been allotted for repair and maintenance (civil) but it is not clear when maintenance work on the buildings would commence.
The six storey building hosts the Supreme Court, three circuit courts, at least six specialized courts and offices of the Chief justice and Associate Justices.
The City Court and Criminal Courts “C”& “D” and Civil Law “A” and “B” are distanced away from the central building but are also unpainted.
Each day there are several visitors at the judiciary but are also compelled to use the stairways due to the malfunctioning of the elevator for the past two months.
This has caught the attention of many lawyers, party litigants but a source of the judiciary who asked for anonymity said the parts of the elevator that need replacement have to be imported.
The county attorney, FrontPageAfrica observed, embarked on his initiative to paint the first floor of the building which hosts his offices.
Several corners of the judiciary are covered with spider web which hasn’t caught the attention of the court Administrator, Elizabeth Nelson.
FrontPageAfrica also observed several broken down vehicles, many of which belong to the Judiciary, abandoned at the back of the building.
The late Johnnie Lewis resigned from the judiciary 2012 and died 2015 but it is not known when Chief Justice Francis Korkpor will order the building to be painted.
When contacted the head of the Press at the Judiciary Ambrose Nmah attributed the state of the building to lack of funding.
“We don’t have money that’s why we haven’t painted but our building is one of the tidiest buildings among government buildings.