Monrovia — The full bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia has unanimously agreed to pardon seven (7) local county officials and immediately ordered their release from further detention at the Monrovia Central Prison after they were held in criminal contempt of the Judiciary Branch of Government and the Supreme Court of Liberia and sentenced to six (6) months imprisonment.
The local officials spent three of the six months behind bars before the High Court jurists took action to release them from any further detention.
The granting of pardon by the Supreme Court for a penalty it imposed on a contemnor is a matter of judicial discretion more than an application of the law. Hence, it is the power of the Supreme Court to extend mercy to the petitioners if their conduct and attitude since their imprisonment warrant it, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Cllr. Sie-A-Nyene G.Yuoh, has said.
Delivering a judgment on the matter, Chief Justice Yuoh said that the local officials, having served three months out of the six months sentence of imprisonment imposed by the Supreme Court, and thereafter expressed remorse for their action and executed an affidavit to the effect that they would remain law-abiding at all times and uphold the integrity and dignity of the courts within the Republic of Liberia, the request for release from further detention is hereby granted.
But the Chief Justice pointed out that the release of the defendants has a proviso that for the remainder of their sentence, they will report once monthly to the ministerial officer of their respective Magisterial Courts, who shall record their attendance.
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Prior to their release, lawmakers of Bong County, in separate communications addressed to Her Honor Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh, Chief Justice, dated December 15, 2022, and January 5, 2023, respectively, acknowledged the wrong meted out against the court by their kinsmen, rendered apologies to the court on behalf of their citizens of Bong County and begged the Supreme Court to "temper justice with mercy" and have their kinsmen released, as "they are sure that the men have learned their lessons."
However, the Supreme Court, in an official response to the Bong lawmakers, dated January 2023 and signed by the Chief Justice, denied said request, stating that granting such a request will not only undermine the integrity of the High Court but also destroy the independence and neutrality of the nation's highest court.
It can be recalled that last year in December, the Supreme Court rendered an opinion in the case, In Re: Contempt Proceeding against Daniel Tubman, Commissioner, Clinton Brown, acting city mayor of Totota City, Robert Sulu, acting general town chief of Totota City, Miller Bondo, youth leader of Salala district, Varney Sirleaf, poro grove operator in Salala district, Ernest Whit, cultural advisor, Joseph Kollie (aka Choko), acting paramount chief of Fuama Chiefdom, all of Bong County.
The Supreme Court held these men in criminal contempt for vandalizing the Magisterial Courts in Salala, Bong Mines, and Gbartala, Bong County.
In addition to the vandalism, Magistrate William G. Capehart was stripped naked and along with certain court staff of the Salala Magisterial Court, were abducted and initiated into the traditional school, while the Bong Mines and Gbartala Magisterial Courts experienced disturbances and attempted abduction.
