Speak out against Boakai’s constitutional violations’ -Bassa Resident Judge Calls on Civil Society Actors

MONROVIA- Resident Judge Joe Barkon of the 2^nd Judicial Circuit in Grand Bassa County has urged members of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) not to remain silent but should constructively engage the Boakai administration over its “fragrant violation of the rule of law”, citing the suspension of Executive Governor of Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), Aloysius Tarlue.

Judge Barkon said during the opening the courts in Buchanan: “Let me use this occasion to encourage the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA), the Grand Bassa Bar Association, and other professional and advocacy institutions, like civil society, to not sit in silence but constructively engage the Executive Branch of government and other relevant authorities to provide the space within a reasonable time frame and ensure that the individuals who have been accused of wrongs and suspended from their respective offices be accorded due process of law.”

This, Barkon said, should be done in a reasonable way to either exonerate themselves from the allegations levied against them or they be held for the charges after trial than to “keep things in abeyance, which is not good for our emerging democracy”.

Quoting Article 20(a) of the 1986 Constitution, Barkon said “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, security of the person, property, privilege or any other right except as the outcome of a hearing judgment consistent with the provisions laid down in this Constitution and in accordance with due process of law”.

In recent months of this year, Barkon noted that since the inception of the administration of President Joseph N. Boakai, “we have heard on National radio and from other media institutions in and out of the Country of the Government’s action of indefinite suspension from duties of individuals with positions from several government Agencies.”

He named the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA), the Governance Commission, National Social Security and welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), and of recent, the Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia, who were serving tenure posts was severed not according to the rule of law.

“We want to call our government to accord these personalities due process of law so that they can be heard before a court of competent jurisdiction, consistent with the proceedings applicable therein, either to establish their guilt or liability or their innocence and be exonerated of the charges levied against them,” the judge cautioned Boakai of the violation of the rule of law.

Barkon told his audience that history has revealed that one of the causes of the Liberian Civil conflict was due to the disregard to upholding the basic principles governing the rule of law which encompass the respect for human rights, human dignity and values, and among others, “for which we think, we as a nation and people, should desist from, as it is like threading a ugly path and walking away from peace and harmony.”

The judge noted that “anything on the contrary to the Rule of Law could retrogress peace and progress in Liberia.

He also observed both the past governments and the present government of Liberia were and are under binding obligation to have upheld and/or uphold every provision of the Constitution, statutory laws, as well as customary laws of our Country to promoting good governance and a peaceful and harmonious society.

“Let me remind all of us that the Labor law of Liberia and case laws of the Supreme Court of Liberia has for time without number that indefinite suspension of an employee for a protracted period of time without investigation or trial is equivalent to a dismissal,” Barkon noted.

According to Barkon, the principle or concept of upholding the rule of law demands from every citizen, resident, the governing authorities of the day to abide by all of the provisions as contained within the 1986 Constitution of the Republic of Liberia and all other Statutory laws enacted by the National Legislature from time to time to engender a peaceful, coexisting, and a law-abiding society.