Monrovia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has renewed his administration’s dedication to judicial reform, independence, and integrity because the Supreme Courtroom of Liberia formally opened its October Time period on Monday, October 13.
By Willie N. Tokpa
Talking on the Temple of Justice earlier than an viewers of justices, lawmakers, diplomats, and authorized professionals, President Boakai emphasised the central position of the Judiciary in upholding democracy, restoring public belief, and driving nationwide improvement.
He used the event to congratulate the brand new Chief Justice, His Honor Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, and Affiliate Justice Boakai N. Kanneh, each of whom he praised for his or her dedication to reform and their potential to revitalize the nation’s authorized system.
“This event signifies not simply the beginning of a brand new courtroom time period, but additionally the renewal of public belief in one of many three equal branches of our authorities,” President Boakai mentioned.
“On behalf of the Authorities and Individuals of Liberia, I prolong heartfelt congratulations to His Honor Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, the Chief Justice, as he assumes the very best judicial workplace in our Republic.”
President Boakai expressed confidence in Chief Justice Gbeisay’s imaginative and prescient to modernize the Judiciary, decentralize entry to justice, and strengthen institutional integrity.
A New Chapter for the Judiciary
Justice Gbeisay replaces retired Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Youh, whereas Affiliate Justice Kanneh fills a vacant seat on the Bench.
The President hailed each appointments as symbolic of nationwide renewal, stressing {that a} stronger, extra responsive judiciary is crucial to Liberia’s long-term peace and prosperity.
“The inclusion of Justice Kanneh brings new vitality, expertise, and perspective to the Bench,” President Boakai acknowledged.
“His inclusion is each symbolic and substantive, representing the renewal of the Judiciary and the continued effort to strengthen its integrity, stability, and independence.”
Justice as a Cornerstone of Nationwide Growth
President Boakai underscored the connection between justice and improvement, noting that Liberia’s ARREST Agenda for Inclusive Growth identifies the Rule of Regulation as one in every of its core pillars.
“A nation can’t progress the place legal guidelines are ignored, the place contracts are damaged, or the place the weak haven’t any recourse,” he mentioned.
“Buyers will come solely the place processes are predictable, the regulation is obvious and revered, and residents will obey legal guidelines which are truthful and constantly enforced.”
He acknowledged residents’ issues over delays within the judicial course of and perceptions of bias, and known as for pressing reforms to enhance transparency, equity, and effectivity within the courts.
His administration, he affirmed, will help higher working circumstances for judicial officers, together with coaching, logistics, and infrastructure upgrades.
A Name to Integrity
Addressing the judiciary instantly, President Boakai urged justices, judges, and magistrates to “put on their robes,” not as symbols of privilege, however of public service.
“Let your judgments be guided by reality and conscience, and let each choice you make strengthen the folks’s belief in our courts.”
He additionally inspired attorneys and courtroom officers to keep up excessive moral requirements {and professional} conduct, reminding them that they’re the “lifeblood of justice.”
President Boakai additional maintained,
“Justice begins with how we deal with one another. Allow us to all uphold equity and compassion in our every day lives, for justice shouldn’t be solely a matter for the courts, however a tradition for the folks.”
Chief Justice Gbeisay Lays Out Daring Reform Agenda
In his first formal tackle as head of the nation’s highest courtroom, Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay echoed the President’s requires reform, declaring that the judiciary should seize the second to revive credibility, enhance case administration, and battle corruption.
“The reform of the judiciary is a nationwide concern and needs to be handled as a nationwide precedence,” Chief Justice Gbeisay declared.
He introduced quick actions already taken to deal with long-standing inefficiencies within the system, together with the restructuring of courtroom areas within the Industrial and Legal Courts in Montserrado County to hurry up trials and cut back case backlog.
He revealed that the Industrial Courtroom, with three judges, had just one functioning courtroom.
The courtroom has now been cut up into two working divisions to permit two judges to preside concurrently.
The courtroom at the moment holds simply 36 instances, an quantity he expects to be rapidly resolved with the brand new construction.
Extra critically, he addressed the problem of extended pre-trial detention in Legal Courtroom
“E”, the place 190 accused individuals stay incarcerated awaiting trial for sexual offenses, some for as much as ten years.
“Whereas rape is a critical offense, extended pretrial detention of unconvicted individuals borders on elementary human rights,” he warned.
“What occurs if they’re later discovered to be harmless? They’d have been punished for crimes they didn’t commit.”
As a treatment, he has additionally ordered the partitioning of Legal Courtroom “E” to allow two judges to listen to instances concurrently and cut back overcrowding. Related actions are being thought-about for Legal Courtroom “D”, which holds over 219 pretrial detainees.
Addressing Jail Overcrowding and Entry to Justice
Chief Justice Gbeisay reported ongoing consultations with the Ministry of Justice to deal with the overcrowding of the Monrovia Central Jail, which at the moment holds over 1,350 inmates, effectively past its capability.
He burdened that jail infrastructure is a part of nationwide improvement and needs to be prioritized accordingly.
“A Justice of the Peace can’t be blamed for bribery in the event that they refuse to remand a violent legal attributable to overcrowding, and but be blamed in the event that they ship the individual to jail,” he mentioned.
Main Anti-Corruption and Personnel Reforms Underway
In an effort to revive public belief, Chief Justice Gbeisay unveiled the launch of the Judicial Monitoring, Analysis, and Accountability Unit (JME&ACD).
This division will function a watchdog, monitoring judicial efficiency, workers conduct, and monetary accountability.
“The JME&ACD will act as a strong judicial police,” he acknowledged.
“Corruption should go, or corrupt folks should go!”
The Chief Justice additionally disclosed {that a} personnel and credential audit performed by the Civil Service Company uncovered main wage disparities, ghost employees, and unqualified workers throughout the judiciary.
“Some judiciary workers with decrease {qualifications} had been incomes way over their supervisors. That ends below my watch,” he mentioned.
He additionally introduced that workers past retirement age can be retired by December 31, and warned judges and magistrates who haven’t declared their property to take action inside 30 days, or face disciplinary actions.
To enhance specialised justice providers, the Judiciary is drafting a invoice for the institution of a Household and Youngsters’s Courtroom, which can consolidate authorized issues involving custody, baby help, adoption, and divorce below one competent authorized framework.
Gbeisay additionally recommended the Liberian Regulation Faculty, a brand new establishment aimed toward increasing entry to authorized schooling and decreasing the burden on the Louis Arthur Grimes Faculty of Regulation.
He celebrated the Liberia Faculty of Regulation’s current victory on the ECOWAS Moot Courtroom competitors in Côte d’Ivoire.
“This can be a victory not just for the Liberian Regulation Faculty however for the authorized career in Liberia as an entire,” he mentioned.
In his tackle, Chief Justice Gbeisay expressed hope that Liberia will quickly have a contemporary Supreme Courtroom complicated, and known as on President Boakai to make that imaginative and prescient a key legacy of his presidency.
“We hope and pray {that a} trendy Supreme Courtroom will grow to be a part of your legacy earlier than 2029,” Gbeisay mentioned.
He additionally assured the general public of his dedication to self-discipline, accountability, and professionalism inside the judiciary.
“We’ve got not performed sufficient, so we’d like not say a lot,” he remarked.
“The October 2025 Time period of Courtroom is hereby declared open.”
As Liberia’s Judiciary embarks on what each the President and Chief Justice described as a “new chapter,” the message was clear: justice reform shouldn’t be solely a necessity, it’s a nationwide crucial.
