Maryland County newly assigned Circuit Court Judge, Cllr. Geeplah Tiklo Konton wants law enforcement officers in the county to properly investigate cases before charging and sending suspecs to court for trial.
He says when cases are properly investigated, prosecutors stand a better chance with enough evidence to speedily proceed wirth trial so that if accused perons are found guilty they can be sent to jail.
Jundge Konton emphasizes that Police should properly hear and investigate facts sorrounding a case before carry on arrest or forwarding suspects to court.
He rxplains that courts are established by law to settle conflict among human beings andresrtore peace and understanding.
He notes that speedy and transparent trial as enshrines in Article 21 of the Constitution of Liberia, can be perfectly implemented by all justice actors, including the Police in Maryland County and other parts of Liberia if proper hearing and investigation of cases are done before arresting and subsequently forwarding accused persons to court.
Cllr. Konton was resident judge for the 3rd Judicial Circuit Court in Greenville ,Sinoe County but he has been re-assigned as Circuit Judge at the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in Harper, Maryland County.
Thre Circuit court judge presided during opening of the February A.D Term of Court in Harper, Maryland County.
He told reporters in an interview that the court is publicly open for speedy and fair dispensation of justice to the people of Maryland and the entire Liberia.
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“If proper investigation and more facts are not gathered before sending suspects to court,” he says, then it becomes more difficult for the counsel for prosecution headed by the county attorney and his assistant to conduct speedy trial.
He says the counsel for persecution has lost cases many times due to lack of sufficient facts and proper evidence established from the initial investigation conducted by law enforcement officers.”
“So the law enforcement officers should properly hear or appropriately handle cases either in acquital or conviction”, he contonues.
Meanwhilke, Cllr Konton has disclosed the February Term of Court has been opened with several cases on the docket, incluing ten (10) criminal cases, four (4) murder cases, seventeen (17) civil cases and one (1) case of statutory rape.
By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County–Editing by Jonathan Browne
