“Strange”

-Chief Justice Terms Pres. Weah Appointment Of Traffic Court Judge Jomah Jallah As Stipendiary Magistrate

Chief Justice Francis Saye Korkpor has termed as ‘strange’ the recent appointment of Traffic Court Judge Jomah Jallah as stipendiary magistrate of the Monrovia City Court.

According to Chief Justice Korkpor, it is the first of its kind in the practice of law for a Traffic Court Judge to ascend at the level of stipendiary magistrate and for the President to appoint a stipendiary magistrate.

Turning over the mantle of authority to Judge Jallah, Chief Justice Korkpor mentioned that all Magistrates have been assigned at the court by the Chief Justice who also heads the Judiciary and not the President.

Chief justice Korkpor revealed how Judge Jallah has gone to him on several occasions pleading with him to assigned him as magistrate, but had denied said request because there is nowhere in their jurisdiction or practice where a Traffic Court judge can become a magistrate.

“Judge Jallah has been in the service for long time in the Traffic Court; at one point he went over to me to ask me to assign him at the level of the Magisterial Court. I denied him because there is nowhere you can take a Traffic Court Judge and assigned him as Magistrate Judge,” Chief Justice Korkpor.

However, the Chief Justice noted that Judge Jallah has over the years performed with distinction with no bad record and as such, he had no doubt that Judge Jallah will perform in the discharge of his (Jallah) duty.

Justice Korkpor therefore wants lawyers give their fullest cooporations to Magistrate Jallah regarding their representation in matter appearing before that court.

Remarking at short induction ceremony held in his honor, the newly appointed City Court Judge Jomah Jallah noted that the confident reposed in him by President George Weah will be justified to the fullest.

Judge Jallah vows that his appointment at the level of the Court of first instance would be void of any interference from the other two branches of government.

He maintained that matters coming before him will be decided based on the merit of the matter and not partiality.

At the same time, Judge Jallah has lauded the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia and the Judiciary in general since according to him, the judiciary has played an important role in his professional life.

The new Monrovia City Court Judge revealed that he had benefited series of opportunities from the judiciary noting that his story could not have been told or complete without the help of the judiciary.

In furtherance, Montserrado County Attorney Edwin Kla Martins said they at the level of the Ministry of Justice working with the Executive branch of government are aware of the provision of the Liberian Constitution that talks about the separation of powers and willing to abide by such.

Cllr. Martins expressed the Executive and MOJ willingness to cooperate with Judge Jallah on matters appearing government before that court.

He indicated that it is his first time to form part of a program where a traffic court judge is taking over as stipendiary magistrate. TNR

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