Monrovia –The Seventh National Conference of the Association of Trial Judges kicks -off this Friday, February 2, 2018 at the Grand Floor of the Temple of Justice.
Report by Kennedy L. Yangian [email protected]
Judges and Magistrates including other actors in the justice system are to participate in the two days event, which ends Saturday, February 3.
A renowned Liberian lawyer, whose name has been withheld by the association, has been chosen to address the judges under the theme: “The role of judges in the sustenance of peace”.
At the close of the conference, the trial judges are to go to the polls to elect a new corp of officials to replace Judge Roosevelt Willie, who has served the association for the period of two years.
Judge Willie, according to sources, is seeking a second term is currently the Resident Judge of the Criminal Court “A” at the Temple of Justice. Criminal Court C IS responsible to try cases of murder and aggravated assault.
Sources closed to the association had told this paper that Magistrate Kennedy Peabody the current Stipendiary Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court at the Temple of Justice is being tipped to replace Judge Willie.
However, the same source who begged for anonymity, also said Magistrate Peabody’s quest for the position of President of the Trial Judges Association is highly supported by his fellow magistrates but he faces opposition from several Circuit judges.
According to the source, the judges’ plan to oppose Magistrate Peabody election is because he is a lower court judge who is a subordinate to the Circuit Court Judge.
“ Electing Magistrate Peabody to the post as President of the Trial Judges will be an error on the part of the association, how can you elect a subordinate to head a superior, because magistrate report to circuit judges,” the source said.
Despite the objection raised by some of the judges against Magistrate Peabody’s intent, another source within the association claimed that to bar Magistrate Peabody from contesting the trial election, as president will be a violation of the association’s constitution.
“Because the association’s constitution requires that any member of the association can vie for the post without restricting it to judges of Circuit Court alone,” the source said.
Effort by this paper to have both Magistrate Peabody and Judge Willie to comment on the matter prove futile as both judges said they are very busy preparing for the convention.
Meanwhile, the reported leadership competition unfolding in the trial judges association has come to the attention of Chief Justice Francis Korkpor, who has plan to probe into the matter and find a solution ahead of Saturday’s event.
“Unconfirmed reports filtering among you over the election has reached my attention and it is better the matter be resolved before the election is held,” said Chief Justice Korkpor while speaking at the workshop for judges at the Temple of Justice ahead of the convention.
The Judges 7th Convention is taking place amid repeated calls for increased budgetary allotment and incentives as well public outcries over increased in pre-trial detention, unhealthy prison condition and alarming gender- based violence cases challenging the country Judicial system.