The Chief Justice of the Republic of Liberia, Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr., has announced the immediate placement on the payroll for all 64 new magistrates who graduated from the James A. A. Piere Judicial Institute.
Speaking to the graduand during the ceremony held at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia on Friday, July 17, 2026, he said, “Before I take my seat, I will be remiss if I don’t thank the Minister of Finance, as arrangements have been made to place these graduates on the payroll immediately”
Chief Justice Gbeisay thanked the President of Liberia for the support and expressed appreciation to the Minister of Finance for implementing the government’s 90% funding for the entire ceremony, which, for the first time, took place under Gbeisay’s administration.
Cautioning the graduates, he said, “As graduates today, the law calls you to a higher standard. People do not come to you looking for lighting phrases; they come to you with real problems, a land dispute that has divided a family in Lofa, a petty debt that is keeping a market woman sleepless, a juvenile who made one bad decision in Monrovia, a young lady who is a victim of gang rape, etc.
To them, you are not just a magistrate; you are the human face of the entire judiciary. When you are patient, people believe in justice; when you are fair, people respect the law; when you are corrupt, people lose faith in all of us”
Chief Justice Gbeisay further admonished the graduating class to continue their studies, know the laws governing magistrates, jurisdiction, rules of evidence and procedure, and have the courage to apply the law even when it is unpopular.
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice also thanked the Chairman of the Board of (JI), Madam Justice Wolokollie, the Director, and the faculty of JI, whom he considered the engine room of the judiciary.
“The quality of justice in Liberia over the next 20 years will depend on the quality of training you provide. I will continue to insist on discipline, ethics, confidence, and excellence.” He noted
For his part, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan, also cautioned the new magistrates to perform their duties without being biased.
“No economy can thrive where people lack confidence in the justice system”. He also confirmed the Chief Justice’s assertion that the fifth cycle of the Professional Magistrate Training program was fully funded by the government of Liberia through the Judiciary.
