The Inquirer (Monrovia)
D. Webster Cassell
14 March 2008
A blind man identified as Isaac Brown has termed as frustrating and disheartening the way justice is meted out to him in Liberia and has called on President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Johnnie N. Lewis to intervene.
Mr. Brown who walked into the offices of The INQUIRER yesterday explained that he has been pushed around continuously by the justice system in Liberia since 2005 and as a result it has caused him to live in abject hardship and poverty.
The blind man narrated his unfortunate situation in tears; complaining that in 2005 former Associate Magistrate of the Paynesville City Court, David Mensah criminally and wickedly took his BMW vehicle worth over US$4,000 under the pretext of auctioning it but has yet to give account of his car.
Mr. Brown told this paper that he brought the car into Liberia with the hope of selling it so as to enable him return back to Ghana where he has his wife and family are residing.
He noted that unfortunately he came across a shocking situation which has caused him over two years now in Liberia without any hope of getting justice for what has unfolded.
According to the blind man the former magistrate who was recently sacked by Madam Sirleaf cruelly sent his car to Nimba County where it was being used in the traffic as transport vehicle without his consent.
"Since that time up to now nothing concrete has come out of my complaint. The justice system has not being a help to me. I am living in an extreme hardship, the blind man narrated.
He alleged that recently he attempted meeting Chief Justice Johnnie N. Lewis to again inform him about the status of his case but people around the chief justice have constantly prevented him from having an audience with the judiciary boss; telling him all of the time that their boss 'is busy and does not want to see anybody.'
A letter dated November 30, 2006 and signed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, ordered the former Magistrate Mensah to pay to the blind man the fair market value of US$4,000.00 for the vehicle within twenty four hours.
The letter of which copy is in the possession of this paper says 'should he fail to comply with my orders, proper representations shall be made to the offices of the Montserrado County Attorney for his prosecution.'
"In addition, I am recommending to the President of Liberia that Associate Magistrate Mensah be removed from office immediately,' the chief justice concluded in the letter.
The blind man disclosed that since the issuance of that letter up to present, the former magistrate has not paid a dime to him and this has resulted to complete frustration for him and his 15-year old son who is also here with him.
He claimed that for the past times the County Attorney, Samuel Jacobs has constantly dribbled him without giving the actual reason why he as a blind man has continuously and apparently vehemently been denied justice.
Mr. Brown also said that he has been visiting the court for the past terms of court and nothing is seen working for him.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. Why am I treated this way? I do not know maybe because I am a blind man. In fact I have six more cars in Togo and I only came to sell this one and go back for my remaining cars and my family, but look at what has befallen me," the blind man cried.
"Where is justice? I was told that the justice system in Liberia is more reliable than previous times where common people did not have the right to express, but look at what is happening now, do you think I will be encouraged to come back to Liberia," he added.
He however, called on the Catholic Justice and Peace Council (JPC), the United Nations Missions in Liberia (UNMIL) and human rights organizations to come to his aid.
At the moment, the former magistrate is flying around without been charged or prosecuted for his alleged offense while the blind man is canned in hardship. Efforts to contact the Montserrado county attorney have proven futile up to press time.
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