Saniquelle Circuit Court Crowded with Murder Cases
By Obadiah Karnah
Forum
Monrovia, Liberia
Distributed by
The Perspective
Atlanta, Georgia
According to our reporter who has been following the May Term of Court in Saniquelle, murder cases have overshadowed civil cases on the docket.
Speaking to The FORUM in Saniquelle recently, the Presiding Judge of the 8th Judicial Circuit, Emery Paye, said there are several cases on his docket involving those who bent on taking laws into their own hands by brutally killing.
Judge Paye noted that even though there are other criminal cases ranging from aggravated assaults, burglaries and other civil cases on his docket, murder cases are taking the lead.
The 8th Judicial Circuit Judge who commented on the dilapidated condition of the Saniquelle jailhouse, appealed to the Supreme Court, the Justice Ministry and the UNMIL Judicial Section operating in the country to assist the judicial system in the country to renovate and refurbish the only referral jail compound in Saniquelle.
Judge Paye also indicated that the absence of defense counsels in the county and the lack of satisfied lawyers are some judicial impediments affecting not only Nimba but the entire country.
The Senior Clerk of the Court, Arthur Gaye, also told our reporter that the 7th Judicial Circuit Court in Zwedru, Grand Gedeh County, has transferred a murder case to the 8th Judicial Circuit Court in Saniquelle as such, murder cases in the court have increased at an alarming rate.
He said the court has previously received several murder cases from some districts in the county and revealed that the Saclepea Mah District seems to top the list.
Mr. Gaye named Mr. Patrick Lablah, James Sackie Nya Cooper, Josephus Goaneh and Oliver Goaneh and Nyan Myers to be under detention awaiting court trial for their alleged involvement in the killing of the late Winston Dahn sometime this year in Kpein Township, Saclepae Mah District.
According to a document of the murder cases displayed to our reporter, there are individuals under detention from Lapea Number II in Gbelay Geh District, while others are there in jail for killing one Mensahn Tongor in Salay Town, Tappita District.
Mr. Gaye who did not give any reason for transferring a case from Zwedru, however indicated that angry youths in Zwedru may have planned to attack court proceedings. Other reasons the clerk outlined was the distance between the defendant’s lawyers in Monrovia and Zwedru as Saniquelle could be a suitable place for legal proceedings.