By Methuselah Gaye
Rivercess Correspondent, Verity News
Cestos City, Rivercess County
The Resident Judge of the 14th Judicial Circuit Court has placed access to justice at the centre of this August A.D. 2025 Term of Court, calling it an essential pillar for national growth, development, and the rule of law.
Delivering his charge, the Judge stressed that access to justice goes far beyond entering a courtroom. It means ensuring that every citizen—regardless of wealth, gender, tribe, or social standing—can seek and obtain a fair hearing before a competent and impartial tribunal. He warned that when justice becomes a privilege for only the rich or powerful, society risks “falling apart.”
“Delayed justice is denied justice,” he declared, emphasizing that obstacles such as geographic isolation, high legal costs, and lack of awareness about rights continue to deprive many Liberians—especially those in remote communities—of fair treatment under the law.
The Judge also urged legal professionals, law enforcement, and court staff to uphold fairness, integrity, and transparency, while calling on the Rivercess Bar Association to provide free legal aid to indigent residents. “Public trust is earned, not demanded,” he noted, adding that government investment in the justice sector is not charity but a prerequisite for stability and peace.
Local Officials Raise Concerns
In response, County Attorney Martin M. Tumoe echoed the Judge’s concerns, citing severe logistical and staffing challenges in rural areas, particularly in Moweh, where there has been no resident magistrate for several terms of court. “This is a total denial of access to justice for our people,” Tumoe said, highlighting mobility issues, safety risks for officers, and the compromise of serious cases due to delays.
Superintendent Byron Zahnwea also weighed in, linking the justice gap to broader community issues such as drug abuse and public accountability. He criticized what he called “cosmetic approaches” to problems—such as public marches against drugs—while failing to take concrete action against known offenders.
Zahnwea further warned of the consequences of inaction, pointing to a recent case that escalated from Rivercess to neighboring counties, resulting in four deaths. “Who pays for those losses?” he asked. “Are we satisfied that poor people must die because there is no access to justice?”
Call to Action
Both officials and the Judge agreed that improving access to justice requires collective responsibility—from government support and infrastructure improvements to community involvement in reporting crimes and avoiding compromise in serious offenses.
“The spirit, not just the form of the law, is what keeps justice alive,” the Judge concluded, urging renewed commitment to integrity, diligence, and fairness in the administration of justice across Rivercess County and beyond.
