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Liberia: Cllr. Dempster Brown blasts Justice Ministry Officials; attributes weaknesses to failure to strategize
Apr 29, 2008
by Michael Kpayili / Staff Writer

The Chairman of the Coalition of Human Rights defender in Liberia, Cllr. Dempster Brown has attributed the increase wave of armed robbery and rape in the country to the Ministry of Justice inability to strategize a workable solution to these societal ills. Cllr. Brown said authorities at the Ministry of Justice have exhibited both administrative and technical weaknesses in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities thereby giving sufficient rooms to criminals to infiltrate the system.

He said the positions at the Ministry of Justice are more technical than administrative and at such occupying these positions with “out of court”, Lawyers usually result to poor conclusion.

“I have consistently advised the President to appoint individuals beyond friendship and sympathy if this country will have to move from one level to another”, Cllr. Brown maintained. The fearless Human Rights activist further recommends streamline process at the Ministry of Justice starting with the removal of Justice Minister Philip Banks and squarely blamed the alarming rate of insecurity in the country to his failure to support Solicitor-general in court.

In sharp contrast to Cllr. Dempster Brown assertion, the Solicitor-general of Liberia Cllr. Tiewon Gonglo said armed robbery is not a national based crime as been speculated in the Human Rights circle. He said armed robbery is currently rapid in Monrovia alone terming it as “Monrovia based crime”. The Liberia’s Solicitor-general further rejected Cllr. Brown claim that Justice Minister Philip Banks was only limited to signing documents in the office.

The two Lawyers were speaking at the interactive forum organized by Representative Slupodoe at the National Legislature. The forum was geared at designing workable strategy in curbing the increase wave of armed robbery in Liberia.

Meanwhile, Liberia’s Justice Minister and Attorney-general of Liberia Cllr. Philip Banks has disclosed that the Liberian Government is seeking a legislation aimed at making armed robbery a non-billable offense in the country. Justice Minister Banks made the disclosure last Friday in Monrovia when he announced the launch of “Operation Thunderstorm”, a campaign designed to effectively deal with the growing wave of armed robbery in Liberia.

He said if armed robbery becomes non-billable offense, armed robbers going behind bars would be there for a very long period thereby serving as deterrence for would-be criminals.

In a related development, a senior citizen of Nimba County has called for an establishment of a fast track court in adjudicating alleged armed robbers. He said now that armed robbery has reached an alarming proportion in Liberia, an urgent but serious need is required in speedily judging these robbers and the immediate commencement of their sentences. Mr. Joseph Kokeh said that after years of nightmare, Liberians cannot afford to go through another rough ride and urged Liberians to stand firm in exposing any criminal around them.

Still on armed robbery, the Government of Liberia has disclosed the arming of a segment of a special unit at the Liberia National Police. Information Minister Dr. Lawrence Bropleh via a local radio said the Government is going to use every available measure in protecting its citizens from armed bandits. Minister Bropleh did not however indicate whether the rights to shoot is included in the operation launched as a wake of an increase rate of armed robbery. Ordinary citizens have lauded the Government for distributing arms among selective Officers at the LNP but urged Police to exercise due commitment and loyalty in the handling of firearms.

About the Author:
Michael Kpayili is a staff writer for TheLiberianTimes.com. Kpayili has written articles which have appeared on TheLiberianTimes.com since late 2005, and his hard hitting investigative journalism has earned the respect of the Liberian press community.

Michael Kpayili may be contacted at mkpayili@theliberiantimes.com.