–Amid Outpouring of Grievances, including Unpaid Salaries
On Monday, November 7, 2022 of this week, the Supreme of Court of Liberia issued a Writ of Arrest for Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah, as well charged him with Contempt of Court for the High Court terms as “Impeding functions of the Courts, and for creating a Constitutional Crisis for the Judiciary.”
Judicial sources hinted IPNEWS one of the reasons behind the Contempt of Court’s action against Minister Tweah that had called for his arrest, was his failure to pay Judges and other judicial workers their last two months (September & October) salaries and remunerations, thus impeding their respective functions at the respective assigned courts across the country.
Also, IPNEWS learned that Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, following the opening of the October AD Term of the Supreme Court of Liberia, was scheduled to deploy re-assigned Judges to other parts of the country but the delay and failure of Minister Tweah to make available funding had impeded the function of the High Court and other subordinates courts across Liberia.
However, the Minister of Finance and Development, Planning Samuel D. Tweah on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, appeared before the Supreme Court of Liberia to answer questions on why the Judiciary has not been paid for the last two months (September and October)
Minister Tweah, appeared and apologized to the High Court on behalf of the Government of Liberia and regretted the incident that the Judiciary salaries have been delayed.
When Chief Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh asked Minister Tweah why the other two branches of government have been paid salaries and the Judiciary has not taken pay for the months of September and October, Minister Tweah informed the Full Bench that the government of Liberia regrets the incident; and then disclosed that on November 7, 2022, the Government started the payment of judicial workers for the month of September, while for the month of October salaries will be paid beginning the coming weekend.
Minister Tweah who begged the High Court to purge the contempt charge against him, was given reprieve when Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh purged the Contempt charges and quashed the writ of arrest.
Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel D. Tweah
In a related development, the problem of unpaid salaries is not only affecting the Courts but also prosecution Lawyers at the Ministry of Justice which is part of the Executive branch of Government.
The National Association of Prosecutors of Liberia (NAPL), comprising of all County Attorneys as well as other prosecuting lawyers in Liberia, has threatened to boycott the November Term of Court, if the Government of Liberia through the Finance Ministry fails to uphold the promises made to them in a meeting held with members of the Association.
Justice Minister Cllr. Frank Musa Dean
In a written communication addressed to Justice Minister, Cllr Frank Musa Dean, the Association cited unpaid salaries and benefits that State Prosecutors should receive in order to adequately carry out their functions.
Addressing the Minister in a letter dated November 1, 2022, the president of NAPL, Cllr Adolphus Karnuah called on the Liberian government to fulfill its request as was negotiated in a recent meeting.
At the meeting, the government is said to have promised to provide vehicles for County prosecutors in the various counties, and at the same time increase the salaries of prosecutors across the country.
“The current salaries of State prosecutors are unrealistic and unacceptable and the body have resolved that salaries of prosecutors be increased to commemorate the herculean work and task associated with prosecution” Karnuah noted.
Cllr. Karnuah has also lamented that the government should urgently address the issue of six (6) prosecutors who were admitted as Cllrs at law, urging that their status be improved, in order to accommodate their role.
The head of State Prosecutors also said if their request is not granted, prosecutors across the country will stay away from the Court’s term this November.
It can be recalled in May of 2021, State Prosecutors again boycotted the May A.D term of Court opening due to the same reasons mentioned above.
“As failure for those demands to be met, prosecutors under this banner will engage in the boycott of courts across the country,” he said.
The head of state prosecutors called on the Minister of Justice to communicate with relevant agencies of government responsible in order to address their request.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Prosecutors of Liberia says it is available to discussion that will lead to a resolution of their concerns being raised.
