By: Melvin Jackson
MONROVIA – At the opening of its first post war convention ever under the theme “Contemporary Issues of Violence Affecting Women and Children in Liberia,” the leadership of Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) has joined the call for speedy investigation and subsequent trial of any one found culpable of the armed robbery attack on the residence of its first president and former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott.
The President of the organization, Atty. Philomena Williams, speaking at the opening of the convention yesterday, Thursday, February 23, 2023, said AFELL will want a speedy investigation into the attack on the residence of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu Scott, and implored President George Manneh Weah to use his Forky Klon Church to speak out against the waves of violence against women and children in the country, especially as Liberia goes through the ensuing electioneering period.
Commenting further on the Gloria Scott situation, Atty. Williams recalled that former Chief Justice Scott had complained of threat to her life prior to the latest attack on her residence, but nobody listened to her cries. “It is Justice Scott today, nobody knows who next,” the AFELL executive warned.
Also addressing at the occasion, Chief justice Sie-Nyene Yuoh called on Liberian female lawyers to develop policies that will bridge the gap of gender inequality.
“You should retreat from totally relying upon general principles and echoes from other countries, particularly developed countries in the sub region of Africa,” she said, adding that they should stop being their own threats and enemies, noting that they are one and should continue to hold together as one.
The third female Chief Justice of Liberia maintained that women bear a very high portion of substance in the status in which they have been placed and find themselves, reminding them that some females are in the habit of undermining their colleagues, when they are in a contest aspiring for a certain position.
However, Chief Justice Sie-NyeneYuoh called on them to leave from the pervasive crab mentality of gossiping with each other.
She lamented that if they refuse to cry and to give up easily by striving for excellence in whatever they do as women, it will help them reduce the gender gap of disparity that existed between them and their male counterparts.
The Juvenile Court Judge, Madam Lucretia Anderson, who also addressed the convention, wants the national government to establish a rehabilitation center that will help the juvenile court in catering for juveniles in the country.
Cllr. Anderson said this is the only way to address the act of child abuse and violence that are persistently meted out to children in every corner of the street and noted that if Liberian children are not taught and guarded properly, Liberia will be a country of violence of all sorts in every sector.
The Juvenile Court has original jurisdiction over juvenile matters and is mandated to have exclusive original jurisdiction in special proceedings concerning any juvenile, living within any geographic area.
Although there is statutory mandate for the creation of a Juvenile Court in each county of the Republic and lesser geographic units, only the county of Montserrado currently has a fully constituted Juvenile Court.
The Magisterial Courts in the other counties are mandated to assume jurisdiction over juvenile cases whenever it becomes necessary.
The Circuit court in the counties, under whose guidance a Juvenile Court or Magisterial Court assumes juvenile jurisdictions, has appellate jurisdiction over dispositions of juvenile matters before the courts, while the Monthly and Probate Court may also exercise appellate jurisdiction over the adjudications or dispositions of juvenile matters.
The Female Lawyers Association of Liberia is a non-profit, non-governmental organization duly incorporated under the laws of Liberia of the Republic of Liberia on February 24, 1994 with accreditation from the Ministry of Planning. It serves as an advocacy group for the protection, promotion and advancement of the rights of women, children and indigent persons in the society.
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