– Suspends Magistrate Following controversial arrest of a girl in her graduation gown
Monrovia — Chief Justice Sie-Nyene G. Yuoh of the Supreme Court of Liberia has suspended a stipendiary magistrate from the Brewerville Magisterial Court for three months without pay after an investigation into the arrest of a female graduate during her commencement ceremony.
The incident gained widespread attention when a video surfaced on social media showing the graduate, dressed in her gown, being handcuffed by a court sheriff. This footage sparked outrage among residents, who condemned the arrest as a blatant violation of the young woman’s rights.
Investigations revealed that Stipendiary Magistrate Ernest Bana allegedly instructed court officials, including the clerk and a city solicitor, to issue the arrest warrant. In addition to his suspension, the Ministry of Justice has revoked the city solicitor’s status as a petty solicitor due to his involvement in the incident.
Reports indicate that before the arrest, tensions escalated between the parents of the graduating student and the school principal over an outstanding balance of $10 for the rental of the graduation gown. The situation reportedly deteriorated to the point where the family issued threats against school officials, prompting the principal to file a complaint with the Brewerville Magisterial Court, citing fears for his safety.
In response to the public outcry and inquiries from the Ministry of Education regarding the legality of the arrest, Chief Justice Yuoh launched an investigation. During this process, Magistrate Bana denied issuing the arrest warrant, attributing the incident to miscommunication. However, inconsistencies in his account prompted the Chief Justice to take disciplinary action.
In addition to suspending Magistrate Bana, Chief Justice Yuoh has reassigned several court clerks and terminated the employment of one staff member involved in the case. Furthermore, she ordered the removal of all public defense lawyers from Montserrado County’s magisterial courts.
This decision has raised concerns among many Liberians who rely on the justice system at various magisterial courts. Chief Justice Yuoh directed Cllr. T. Joseph Debblay, Coordinator of Public Defenders, to recall all public defenders from the magistrate courts and reassign them to the circuit courts. In a memo to his colleagues, Cllr. Debblay stated, “By directive of Her Honor, Sie-Nyene G. Yuoh, Chief Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia, all Public Defense Lawyers assigned in the Magisterial Courts of Montserrado County are to report to the main office of the Public Defenders as of Tuesday, October 1, 2024, for reassignment to the Circuit Courts.”
The Chief Justice’s decisive actions reflect a commitment to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of individuals within the judicial system, even as they prompt significant changes in the public defense landscape in Montserrado County.
