The Leadership of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has condemned the brutal attack on its national executive member, Cllr. Kukuyon Wleh.
In a release issued yesterday in Monrovia, LNBA believes that the recent brutal attack meted out against Cllr. Wleh-Teh by men alleged to be workers of the Bea Mountain in the King Jor Area in Grand Cape Mount County is unacceptable and uncivilized.
The Bar unconditionally called on the Ministry of Justice to arrest, investigate and immediately prosecute perpetrators to deter others who might desire to engage in similar conduct, as a result of the unwarranted, unprovoked, and senseless attack on Cllr. Kukuyon Wleh-Teh who suffered multiple cuts and bruises and had to spend days in hospital after the mob action carried out by some yet-to-be-identified attackers.
The LNBA says, from information in its possession, Cllr. Kukuyon Wleh-Teh, a member of the Bar and one of the Legal Counsels of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, upon an invitation from said client, traveled to the New Liberty site on Friday, June 2, 2023, to address some pertinent legal issues.
The release further indicated that while visiting the mining concession area, on June 3, 2023, Cllr. Wleh-Teh was informed by the General Manager of Bea Mountain, Mr. Reza Karimiyan about an accident that had taken place in the concession area that needed their attention.
"Upon arrival on the scene of the accident, the management was advised by Cllr. Wleh Teh to contact the police something that was done without delay. On the same June 3, 2023, the Management learned that an unidentified worker was inciting workers to stop work without any notice or justification," the LNBA noted.
Moreover, On Sunday, June 4, 2023, the release noted that while at the Power Station, Cllr. Wieh-Teh was brutally attacked by a group of workers in a well-calculated and premeditated fashion to kill.
The LNBA in the statement which says, "If lawyers who represent their clients under the circumstance described herein are not safe, no citizen will consider his or her life and properties to be safe under any rule of Law regime."
The Bar asserts that these attacks will cause unimaginable and inordinate delays in the administration of justice and impact negatively on the livelihoods of members of the Bar, many of whom are litigators".
According to the LNBA, it shall firmly resist any attempt by anti-rule of law elements to return the legal profession to the dark days where lawyers conducted their professional affairs in fear.
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The Bar used the release to remind citizens that Lawyers are not their enemies or opponents as they only aid the administration of justice and the courts of law remain the lawful and civil forum to ultimately resolve conflicts.
The LNBA is at the same time urging its members to remain security conscious while carrying out their activities.
The LNBA leadership at the same time called on the Ministry of Justice to always protect members of the Bar by making efforts to apprehend and bring to justice anyone who violates the rights of lawyers.
In a related development, the LNBA has called on employers around the country to conduct themselves in ways that will improve industrial relations among tripartite constituents which include government, employees and employers.
"This can only be achieved from the negotiation and signing of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) between employers and employees with attestation by the government consistent with the law," the release concluded.
