At the opening of the February term of court in Sanniquellie, various speakers expressed concern about the continuing practice of collecting fees at the county’s magisterial courts.
GANTA — Several individuals seeking justice at the magisterial courts in Nimba County have accused court officials of demanding large sums of money before they can proceed with their cases.
By Franklin Doloquee, [email protected]
Victims of serious crimes, including murder, rape, and armed robbery, report being forced to pay between 40,000 to 50,000 Liberian dollars, allegedly for transportation fees to transfer suspects to the central prison in Sanniquellie.
Habakkuk Gono, the City Solicitor for Ganta Magisterial Court, confirmed the collection of these fees, explaining that since the departure of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), local courts no longer have access to vehicles for transporting suspects. As a result, victims are asked to provide the necessary funds for transportation.
“We don’t have cars in Ganta, so we ask victims to contribute for transportation before we can move suspects,” Gono said.
Reports from our correspondent in Nimba County indicate that some court officials are abusing their positions, with one magistrate allegedly working alongside his wife to take money from victims while also judging their cases.
In addition, some magistrates have been operating for more than 25 years without being officially added to the government payroll, relying instead on these fees to support their work.
At the opening of the February term of court in Sanniquellie, various speakers expressed concern about the continuing practice of collecting fees at the county’s magisterial courts.
Associate Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay has repeatedly advised magistrates not to engage in such collections.
Despite these warnings, the practice persists, with Ganta Magisterial Court reportedly leading in the collection of funds. Nimba County is home to 18 magisterial courts, all of which have been implicated in similar issues.
