Jarkaken, River Gee County — For nearly eight months, the Jarkaken Magisterial Court in Chedepo Administrative District has been abandoned, leaving residents without access to justice and vulnerable to a wave of rising criminal activities.
The court has been non-functional since the departure of Associate Magistrate Franklin Myers, who was promoted to serve as Public Defender. Since then, no replacement has been named, and the judicial vacuum has left the community in disarray.
Magisterial Clerk Ambrose Swen Dees expressed frustration over the situation. "A lot of crimes are taking place here, but as a clerk of court, I cannot handle them because I am not trained for that--and it is not my role," he said.
Community elders say they have written several letters to the 15th Judicial Circuit Court in Fish Town requesting the assignment of a new magistrate, but their appeals have gone unanswered.
Spike in Crime, Dwindling Law Enforcement
With no functioning court, reports of theft, drug-related activities, and mob justice are on the rise. Law enforcement presence in the area is reportedly limited. Local sources allege that officers from the Liberia National Police (LNP) and Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), once deployed in Jarkaken, fled the town overnight due to growing security concerns and escalating traditional practices.
Neglected Infrastructure, Forgotten Justice
Although Jarkaken was declared a magisterial area by an Act of the 53rd National Legislature in 2012 and officially began court operations in 2015, it still lacks a proper courthouse. Judicial activities are currently held in a dilapidated public guest house, while the nearby women's center--used as a pretrial detention facility--is in an equally deplorable condition, with no funding available for repairs.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Prior to the guest house, court sessions were held in an open town hall. Today, the area surrounding the court is overrun with tall grass and shows no signs of upkeep or government attention.
Plea for Government Action
Local residents and traditional leaders are urging the Ministry of Justice to immediately assign a new magistrate and restore the court's operations. They stress that magisterial courts are vital for resolving minor offenses such as petty theft, traffic violations, and disorderly conduct--cases that are currently going unaddressed.
Jarkaken, located about 65 kilometers from the county capital, Fish Town, serves as the administrative center of Chedepo District. Yet with no magistrate and no functioning courthouse, access to justice remains elusive for many.
