Sanniquellie, Nimba County — Residents, including locals and foreigners, who spoke with FrontPage Africa(FPA), expressed gratitude to the Ganta and Sanniquellie Magisterial Courts for the judicial transformation since January.
They praised the Court for delivering justice to those seeking it rather than engaging in the money collection that previously plagued magisterial courts across Nimba's 19 administrative districts.
In the past, including up to last year, residents said there was no free justice, only cash demands from victims pursuing their cases.
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"Brother, there was no free justice but rather money collection from us," said Annie Q. Dahn and Samuel Jackson Fiah during interviews at various courts in the county.
Residents extended thanks to Chief Justice Yarmie Quire Gbasaye for the judicial reforms now taking hold in Liberia and Nimba County.
In Ganta, residents Ericson Suah and Esther Suah, who spoke with the FPA, commended Gompa Magisterial Court Stipendiary Magistrate Cllr. Sam Nya Harris and Associate Magistrate Atty. Michari G. Tomah for their professional handling of cases.
They highlighted a shift away from money collection toward true judicial transformation in Ganta and Sanniquellie while more than 10 other magisterial courts in the county have yet to follow suit.
At Karnplay Magisterial Court, the magistrate confirmed the release of a pregnant drug suspect from Zor Kentoekporglay Town in District Number 3.
The woman, Lydia Quewonkpa, was arrested by the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) stationed in Karnplay City.
She and her husband were wanted following a search warrant from the Karnplay court, but the magistrate told FrontPage Africa the warrant targeted suspect Semion Garr who remains at large not his pregnant wife. Quewonkpa was released on those grounds.
Years ago, the Karnplay Magisterial Court allegedly released millions of dollars' worth of U.S.-bound drugs that had been seized and donated to the government.
The drugs were later reportedly transported to Ivory Coast.
