Africa-Press – Liberia. The Regional Coordinator for the Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), Mr. George Philip Mulbah, has pushed back against calls for the establishment of additional magisterial courts in Bong County, arguing that immediate priority should be given to upgrading and improving the condition of existing judicial facilities.
Speaking at the official opening of the August A.D. Term of court in Gbarnga, Mr. Mulbah said that while the idea of expanding judicial infrastructure is not entirely misplaced, it would be counterproductive to create new courts without first addressing systemic inefficiencies and the poor state of current facilities.
“We think it’s not just about making speeches but acting on them. Several times during court openings, we’ve heard similar statements, yet the same problems and mistakes keep repeating,” Mr. Mulbah said.
The JPC official stressed that while Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and other legal reforms can help protect citizens’ rights, the root of the problem lies in dilapidated infrastructure, inadequate resources, and questionable practices at the magistrate court level.
According to Mr. Mulbah, many qualified legal practitioners serving in rural parts of Bong County are unable to fully deliver justice because of structural and systemic shortcomings.
He cautioned that building new courts without fixing these flaws would only increase the strain on the judiciary.
“Magisterial courts in the interior often torment our people. People are sent to prison for months over minor issues like verbal insults. This is not fair,” Mr. Mulbah asserted.
He cited the example of the Gbartala Magisterial Court, which currently operates from a borrowed market building due to the absence of a dedicated judicial hall.
While acknowledging that Bong County might eventually need additional courts, Mr. Mulbah maintained that the immediate focus should be on rehabilitating existing judicial facilities, improving magistrates’ adherence to human rights standards, and ensuring fair and impartial justice delivery.
Mr. Mulbah’s remarks came in direct response to Bong County Resident Judge, His Honor Boima Kontoe, who on Monday used his opening charge for the August term of court to call for the establishment of six additional magisterial courts across the county to improve access to justice.
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