Monrovia — FrontPageAfrica has observed that Traffic Court Judge, Karsor Zubah's recent Facebook post, advertising a business, runs contrary to Liberia's Judicial Canon Six. In his Facebook post on Friday, June 28, Judge Zubah said he was selling the latest iphones. He posted the phones' prices and contact numbers and asked potential buyers to call or message him.
Willie Tokpah, [email protected]
His action, according to legal luminaries, is in violation of the Judicial Canon. The Judicial Canon Six states "The judge is a government paid official and must be paid adequately; he holds an exalted position which prevents him from engaging in any business pursuit, therefore he must be provided with the necessities of life and with every means by which he will be able to perform his judicial duties effectively, efficiently, and speedily.
The judge must be encouraged and given the incentive to live a decent and dignified life that would prevent financial and domestic worries and enable him to repel temptation which is susceptible to human life. As a priest of justice, a judge should not be given the cause to be corrupted in the performance of his judicial duties to be justified for any disciplinary action taken against him if found deficient in those qualities."
A senior official of the Liberian National Bar Association told FrontPage Africa noted that a Judge should not be involved with business, but noted that said business should fall within the context of the Liberian Law.
"That's the rationale why the benefits prescribed by the judge should be decided by the legislature, to prevent you from conflict of interest," a senior member of the Liberia National Bar Association told FrontPageAfrica.
However, he noted that Judicial Canon Six is subject to interpretation because businesses should be registered and organized in the context of the law.
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Regardless, the LNBA Officials said such a post is considered an informal business under the law.
Another lawyer, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Judge Zubah's action was in "total disregard of the law. The lawyer stated that Judge Zubah's action, if it goes unchecked, will be a bad precedent in the Liberian judicial system.
The latest post by Judge Zubah has raised concerns in the public space about Judges' adherence to the rule of Law.
