Circuit Judge pleas with locals to trust court system

The Resident Circuit Judge of the 10^th Judicial Circuit Court, Lofa County, has called on residents of the county to make use of the court system in the northwestern county if offended by anyone.

Her Honor Nancy Finda Sammy advised the people of Lofa to avoid taking the law into their hands as such act undermines the norms of civilized societies.

Delivering her charge during the opening of August 2018 Term of Court in Voinjama City, Judge Sammy said, once the citizens took their complaints to the courts, judges would be under legal obligation to, at all times, ensure that justice prevails in every case brought before them.

Judge Sammy’s charge was not short of calls for Magistrates to be vigilant, cautious and diligent in handling cases forwarded to the various Magisterial Courts. “Justice delayed, is justice denied. And if justice is delayed and denied, people will have a negative view of the entire Judiciary. We cannot allow this to happen in our county. So, let us please be mindful.”

She however warned magistrates to refrain from handling cases brought before them that have the propensity of promoting conflict of interest, but that they should recuse themselves when such situations came about.

“This is important because, as dispensers of justice, we cannot allow ourselves to be caught in situations that would embarrass us, yea the entire Judiciary. We, as judges, must at all-time exhibit cool neutrality in the cases we handle, and we must always remember that we are never parties to a suit,” said Judge Sammy.

Judge Sammy reassured the people of Lofa that the 10^th Judicial Circuit Court and all other Magisterial Courts in the county will make justice accessible to all- because this is vital to the development agenda of Liberia.

Development in any nation will be illusive whenever the rule of law and governance are undermined, access to justice is absent, and the marginalized are deprived of opportunities of redress and protection under the law, Judge Sammy stressed.

She sent a categorical caveat that as the Resident Judge of the 10^th Judicial Circuit, she will not allow any Magistrate, neither the Prosecuting Attorney, nor the Defense Attorneys, least to mention any Judicial worker, to take undue advantage of any citizen of Lofa simply because they are connected to the courts.

Judge Sammy told the gathering of lawyers, government officials and citizens attending the court’s opening that any one judicial actor complained of for engaging in such behavior would have himself or herself to blame because the court would ensure that appropriate measures are taken against such individuals.

“Let this caveat please claim your attention because this Court will be robust in ensuring that the ‘citizens’ rights are protected in this county,” the Judge concluded.