By: Staff Writer
Assigned Judge of Criminal Court B, Scheaplor Dunbar has informed judges and magistrates that recent report of corruption in the Judiciary is behind the reason for the public lacks of confidence and trust in the country justice system.
Delivering his charge at the opening of Criminal Courts A B C D and E on Monday, Dunbar acknowledged about the damages the report has caused on the reputation of them (judges).
‘They think that we receive
bribes for every ruling, order, and judgment we entered in our various courts. A foreign government even accused us of taking bribes to enter judgments in favor of a certain local lawyer and his law firm. Most of these allegations are unsubstantiated,” Dunbar noted.
“But, we all know that the damage
has already been done. Because of these allegations, the public lacks
confidence and trust in us,” Dunbar noted. “They think we took up judicial positions to get rich at the detriment of the poor and vulnerable people who come to our
courts seeking justice.”
The criminal court judge cautioned his colleagues by saying, “But I can safely say this morning that none of us here today accepted judicial appointment because we wanted to get rich. Absolutely not.”
” If we ever wanted to make money or to get rich and live well, we would have remained in private practice or would have gone somewhere else tomake money,” Dunbar informed his audience.
According to him, they accepted judicial positions because of one reason, to
serve our people my dispensing fair, speedy and impartial justice.
“Nithing more. I have come before you this morning for us to discuss how we can restore public trust and confidence in our various courts,” the judge disclosed.
On the issue of his topic, Dunbar said, he chosen, “What are we, judges and magistrates, doing to regain
public confidence in our various courts?
Dunbar also asked his colleagues about what can each of them can do to regain public trust and confidence in
courts?
“”If you are a judge or a magistrate in Voinjama,, Lofa County, Harper
Maryland County, or Gbarnga,, Bong County, what are you doing in your
court to regain the confidence and trust of the public?” He further asked.
“What are you doing
to project a positive image of your magisterial court, your circuit court or
your specialized court? Dunbar added.
He said, if they want to erase the negative public perception about judges and magistrates, there are many things they need to do.
“What we can do to regain public confidence in our courts are outlined in our Judicial Canons for the moral and ethical conduct of judges/magistrates,” he said.
He however warned judges and magistrates to perform their duties fairly and impartially.
“Many of the complaints we hear from party litigants is that we are
sometimes not fair and impartial in handling cases that come before us. They say we take side with one party to the detriment of the other party,” Dunbar noted
