By Jacqueline L. Dennis
The Supreme Court of Liberia on Thursday December 15, 2022 sentenced seven (7) persons to a term of imprisonment in a common jail for the period of six months for criminal contempt of judiciary branch of government, for deliberately ransacking the Magisterial Court in Salala, Bong County and abducted the Magistrate and others in Salala in recent months.
Those sentenced include Daniel Tubman, Commissioner; Clinton Brown, acting General Town Chief of Toyota City; Miller Bondo, Youth Leader of Salala District, Varfee Sirleaf, Poro Force Operator in Salala District; Ernest White, Culture advisor; Robert Sulu, Acting General Town Chief of Totota and Joseph Kollie the acting Paramount Chief of Fuahmah Chiefdom all of Bong County.
“The Marshall of the Supreme Court is hereby ordered to give immediate effect to this Judgment cost are disallowed and it is hereby so ordered,” the High Court said.
The Supreme Court final judgement said authority is punished for contempt acts for interfering with the Independence and integrity of the courts, and they constitutional duty to protect the sanctity and dignity of the judiciary, especially the court and its officers
According to the judgement, the contempt proceeding by the Supreme Court are independent and exclusive of any criminal or other investigations conducted by the other branches of government or other institution.
“As in this instant case the supreme Court shall not refuse jurisdiction nor fail to take cognizance of contempt merely because the same acts and conduct for which the contempt proceeding have been instituted are being simultaneously investigated by other institution.”
According to the final judgement, having been established that the contemnors deliberately ransacked the Magisterial Court in Salala, Gbartala in Bong County, and abducted the Magistrate and others in Salala, which acts violated the constitutional principal of separation of power and the immunity granted judicial officers in the performance of their duties.
When this casa was called for hearing the acting solicitor general of Liberia Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh, appeared for the Ministry of Justice, Cllr Losene F. Bility appeared for the Ministry of Internal Affairs Cllr. George S.W. Sagbeh Sr., of the Sagbeh and Sagbeh Law Offices appeared for the contemnors while Cllr. Milton D. Taylor, Joyce Reeves Woods, Lucia Diana Sonii- Gbala, and Jimmy Saah Bombo appeared for the amici curiae.
