GBARNGA, Bong – The Ninth Judicial Circuit Court in Gbarnga on Monday opened for the November term with a call for judicial actors to work harder in prosecuting cases to reduce the number of pre-trial detainees in the county.

Delivering his charge at the court’s opening, Bong’s resident judge, J. Bioma Kontoe, brought attention to the high number of pre-trial detainees at the Gbarnga Central Prison, something he said poses “security threats” to the county.

He said some of those in prison have overstayed without having their days in court because their complaints have apparently failed to show up for their cases.

“We have been presented with information by the superintendent of the Gbarnga Central Prison that indicates that the total number of inmates at the Gbarnga Central Prison is 194. That figure is alarming,” he said.

“Alarming because the Gbarnga Central Prison has a capacity far below this number and when prisons are overcrowded, it often leads to jailbreaks and jailbreaks usually heighten the community’s sense of security.”

He said some of those who escape prisons are high profile criminals and are capable of posing threats to citizens.

He noted that of the 194 inmates, only 69 are convicts.

“We have to work as a court to ensure that this pre-trial detainee figure is reduced,” Kontoe said.

He charged public defenders of Bong to file the “appropriate motions” to release those who have been in prison over the legal limit of three court terms.

Also speaking on behalf of the Bong County Local Bar Association, Montserrado County Attorney Daku Mulbah pledged the Ministry of Justice’s commitment in working with all the actors in the court system to address the issue of excessive pre-trial detainees.

Montserrado County Attorney Daku Mulbah. Photo: Moses Bailey.

“As you have called on both the offices of the county attorney and public defense [to use] those provisions of law, we will have to utilize them so that we can make sure that those who are referred to as pre-trial detainees can have their rights guaranteed under the law,” Mulbah said.

He called on jurors to be professional and truthful.

In remarks on behalf of Superintendent Selena Polson Mappy, administrative assistant Joseph Urey commended the smooth working relationship between the court and the county administration.

He promised the county leadership’s continuous support to ensuring a functional court system for citizens to seek redress in terms of disenchantment.

Urey, meanwhile, thanked the Liberia National Police in Bong for “working harder” to maintain law and order in the county especially during the October 10 elections.

Administrative Assistant to Bong’s Superintendent, Joseph Urey. Photo: Moses Bailey.

“We want to say to our law enforcement officers, thank you very much for the level of cooperation you give our office. Because at least we see some level of peace and security in our county,” Urey said.

The opening of the court was attended by local leaders including the mayor of Gbarnga, Viola Cooper, the administrative assistant to the superintendent, Joseph Urey, Bong County’s police superintendent, Fredrick Nepay as well as Senator Jewel Howard Taylor who is also a member of the Bong County Bar Association.

Featured photo by Moses Bailey