Descongest The Prison To Help Prevent Ebola– Chief Justice Urges judicial Actors.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, His Honor Francis S. Korkpor Sr. has called on judicial actors in the country, to do all in their power to decongest the prisons in an attempt to help prevent the spread of ebola.
Chief Justice Korkpor said, ebola is real and its kills, and urged Liberians to follow the guidelines that have been outlined by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, adding: ‘’ the most precious property we all have is life and let us do all we can to preserve it’’.
He made the call during his official visit to Nimba County over the weekend.
Enroute to Nimba, Chief Justice Korkpor made brief stopovers at the 13th and 9th Judicial Circuit Courts in Margibi and Bong counties.
Speaking to the Judges and other judicial actors in those counties, he urged them to help reduce the prison population by bailing defendant for petty offenses, except where the crime is a nonbailable like murder, rape, arm robbery, etc.
The Chief Justice also underscored the need for lawyers to work along with the judges in opting for bench trial other than jury trial during this turbulent period in our country’s history, saying, ‘’I want you to know that we are not in normal times; these are extraordinary times and we must do all we can to help fight this deadly virus called ebola from our country’’.
In Nimba County, Chief Justice Korkpor visited the Gompa Magisterial Court where he re-echoed his ebola prevention message by urging the magistery to help prevent its spread, by curtailing the practice of sending people to prision for petty offenses.
He made it clear that Liberians must work together with the government in helping to fight this deadly virus which is killing our people.
The Chief Justice concluded his visit to Nimba County by visiting the community ‘’radio station in Ganta, Radio Kergahmahn ‘’ 94. 5 MHZ. In an interview with the station, Chief Justice Korkpor called on the people of Nimba not to deny the existence of ebola.
He also urged his people to take all necessary precaution and adhere to the ebola prevention guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare so as to remain save.
At Radio Kergahmahn, Chief Justice Korkpor donated sanitary materials to enhance hand washing as a preventive measure against the spread of the deadly ebola virus.
