Cllr. Tweh has urged actors in the justice system to reflect on actions that may contribute to the distrust in the justice system here.
By Lincoln G. Peters
Monrovia, December 2, 2024: Liberia’s Justice Minister, Cllr. Natu Oswald Tweh has been alarmed by distrust, lawlessness, and a lack of confidence in the country’s legal system.
Addressing the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) 2024 National Convention over the weekend, Minister Tweh charged lawyers and judicial actors to reflect on how they have contributed to the distrust.
“As we convene, let’s ask ourselves how each and every one of us in our individual capacity … has contributed to this distrust,” he said in Gompa City, Nimba County.
He urged lawyers to prevent Liberians from taking the laws into their own hands.
He reminded lawyers that the justice system in Liberia has a responsibility to deliver justice.
Cllr. Tweh noted that posterity demands exemplary conduct from all those who are part of the system.
Whether they are justices, judges, or lawyers, Minister Tweh said they must remember that life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, the protection of property through legal processes, and the dispensation of justice require the utmost professional standards from them.
He believes that adherence to the rule of law starts with legal actors.
To consolidate efforts to strengthen quality judicial service, he urged lawyers to evaluate their actions to determine whether they are fulfilling their duties to the court and the country.
He added that lawyers should purge themselves of acts that may have contributed to this distrust and lack of confidence in the legal system.
Minister Tweh suggested that they should start by applying the law to the highest ethical standard to hold the public accountable for legal action.
He believes that justice system actors should first create an environment of trust so that all Liberians can feel safe seeking redress through the court.
Additionally, Minister Tweh urged lawyers to further the rule of law in their respective capacities.
‘’Our role is to advance [the] system of justice. To enlarge the people’s access to justice and to improve the administration of justice,” he explained.
“We have to make a difference in society by working toward preserving the rule of law,” he continued.
Minister Tweh suggested that citizens should not be afraid of lawyers to advocate effectively for the rule of law.
Rather, he noted that they must respect lawyers and believe in them.
“Hence, we must set good examples through proper behavior. It’s our hope that what we do here will aid in the furtherance of the rule of law,’’ he said.
