Chief Justice Yuoh Unveils Plan to Rebuild ‘Deplorable’ Magisterial Courts Across Liberia- Latest Liberian News
MONROVIA – Chief Justice Sie- A. Nyene G. Yuoh said several magisterial courts across Liberia are in deplorable conditions and pose serious health hazards to workers of the facilities.
Speaking at the opening of the March Term of Court on Monday, Chief Justice Youh called on the Government to intervene as the condition may worsen if appropriate steps are not taken.
“This situation poses serious health hazards to the Magistrates, staff and party litigants. This don’t represent the image of the Judiciary or the National Government,” she said.
“Some of the Magisterial courts are housed in dilapidated, burnt or incomplete Structures or squatting on the patio of private homes and are being use to conduct business of the Courts,” she added while delivering her charge.
She applauded the Magistrates for enduring the hardship and called on National Government to commit itself to alleviating such extreme hardship and embarrassment facing the judiciary.
Justice Yuoh revealed that under her watch, there is a prepared architectural plan for the construction of modernized magisterial courts to replace the existing ones, some of which were built under the UNMIL quick impact project.
The Chief Justice noted that the UNMIL quick impact project was a program designed to give immediate, but temporary relief to the Judiciary at the time the country was recovering from its civil crises; particularly the rural inhabitants.
She mentioned that after 18 consecutive years of peace and tranquility, coupled with the elections of constitutional governments, it is time now that these structures of the magisterial courts be improved and elevated beyond the quick impact stage to one that represents a national government with a functioning judiciary.
She said: “Our proposed of modernized magisterial courts will contain the following but not limited; one large court-room for the Stipendiary Magistrate, two smaller courts rooms for the associate magistrates, one stipendiary magistrate chambers with a bathroom, two chambers for the two associate magistrates, one associate magistrate bathroom, two general bathrooms, clerk office, filing clerk office and filing room, records rooms, public defenders’ office, city solicitor ‘s office, and two withholding cells with bathrooms.”
The event held at the Temple of Justice was attended by President George Weah, House Speaker Bhofal Chambers, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, the diplomatic corps, and members of the Liberian National Bar Association.
To make this project a reality, Justice Youh called for stronger coordination between and among the three Branches of Government with regard to the establishment of magisterial courts and the appointment of magistrates in order to create efficient magisterial services, especially in rural Liberia.
