MONROVIA, Feb. 2 (LINA) – Supreme Court Associate Justice, Yussif D. Kaba, has frowned on recent reduction in the compensation of judges under the government harmonization program which, he said, is a concern to all judicial officials.
“While we appreciate the good intention of the government in the implementation of this program, we caution however that Article 72 of the Constitution and the peculiar nature of the judiciary should have been given due consideration,” the justice observed.
Kaba further said that the position of judgs is “sacred as a priest of justice, the entire life of a judge is devoted to his sacred duty,” noting that “the judge’s job is not limited to the time he spends in court, even at home, he continues to be engaged in his vocation.”
He indicated that the nature of a judicial officer is capsulated so much as such in Judicial Canon #6 states that the judge is a government paid official and must be paid adequately, because he holds an exalted position which prevents him from engaging in any business pursuit.
“Therefore he must be provided with the necessities of life and every means by which he will be able to prevent financial and domestic worries and enable him to repel temptation which is susceptible to human life, and every means by which he will be able to perform his judicial duties effectively, efficiently, and speedily,” the Justice averred.
Justice Kaba served as a keynote speaker at the 8th Convention of the National Trial Judges Association held at the weekend on the ground floor of the Temple of Justice on Capitol Hill in Monrovia.
Speaking on the theme: “Enhancing Judicial Independence For Peace and Development,” Justice Kaba indicated that the judge must be encouraged and given incentives to live a decent and dignified life that would prevent financial and domestic worries and enable him repel temptation which is susceptible to all human.
He pointed out that “as a priest of justice, a judge should not be given cause to be corrupted in the performance of his judicial duties as so to be justified for any disciplinary action taken against him if found deficient in those qualities.”
“We believe that the harmonization process resulted in an increment in the pension of judges upon retirement, but deprived them of allowances which were necessary for the upkeep their family,” Kaba said, adding that unlike the case of other public employees, benefit for judges are expressly provided for by the Constitution.
Justice Kaba, therefore, urged the Executive and members of the Legislature to reconsider the situation of judges and “act in the best interest of our Constitution and the preservation of the judiciary passed into law by the National Legislature is also an essential tool in strengthening the independence of the judiciary.
“However current economic reality has imposed constraints on its implementation, as this tool is important that those constraints will be overcome in the earliest possible time.
“And this vital tool of judicial independence should be restored fully and in keeping with the language and intent of the law,’ the Associate Justice pointed out.
