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Chief Justice Wants Judges Prove President Wrong Over Corruption Accusation

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Following recent statement by Liberia’s President Joseph N. Boakai criticizing the Judiciary Branch of Government as being corrupt, inefficient and lack public trust; the Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Liberia, Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh has rally justice actors to take the statement as a challenge and decisively demonstrate that they are efficient, non-corruptible and trust worthy in dispensing justice without fear and favor.

Chief Justice Yuoh, speaking Thursday, February 1, 2024 at the start of a-three day National Trial Judges Conference at the grounds of the Temple of Justice said, “I call upon all of us judicial actors to take judicial notice of an aspect of the Annual Message by His Excellency President Joseph Nyumah Boakai, Sr., wherein he stated thus: “our justice system which is meant to protect the innocent and punish the guilty has been marred by inefficiency, corruption, and lack of public trust. I am counting on this honorable Body to pass legislation and support financial appropriations that will help us win the fight against corruption….”

The Chief Justice expressed further: “I say that we as Judiciary Branch of Government, particularly the courts, and keepers of the law, take this statement as a challenge and decisively demonstrate that we are efficient, non-corrupt and trust worthy in dispensing justice without fear and favor.”

Her Honor Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Liberia, in a special remark note the organization’s (NATJL) National Association of Trial Judges of Liberia continuous enhancement of the welfare and well-being of its members.

Chief Justice Yuoh recalled that during the formal opening of the March Term A. D. 2023 of the High Court, and speaking to all stakeholders to the electoral process to include political parties, independent candidates, registered voters and the National Elections Commission (NEC), she described the election process in the following:

“…It is an undeniable fact that our election calendar is the most tumultuous and tedious in the history of the Supreme Court. Hence, even in these quiet moments, the storms of election cases/challenges are quietly brewing and gathering strength at the National Election Commission and elsewhere, and is preparing to dash upon the shore of the Supreme Court’s docket like a wave.

…But be that as it may, the Supreme Court, like a light tower in the midst of a storm is well fortified and judicially poised to hear and disposed of all and any elections disputes regardless of the magnitude or underlying currents. We are resolved to dispense justice evenly without fear and favor. The Supreme Court performed this task and duty as mandated by the Constitution and disposed of all elections matters within the time frame of the law.”

In order to safeguard democratic values in the legal system, the Chief Justice further stated in that address, that “Article 65 of the Constitution vests in the Supreme Court and such subordinates courts as established by the Legislature the judicial power of the Republic.

The said article also provides that judgments of the Supreme Court are final and binding and that they shall not be subject to appeal or review by any other branch of Government.

This provision of the Constitution, she said, has three indispensible features; the judgment of the Supreme Court brings closure and finality to a matter; that the decision is binding on all and sundry including authorities throughout the Republic and lastly that decision of the Supreme Court cannot be reviewed by any authority.

 

 

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