The Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has condemned all acts of mob violence recently carried out by some Liberians against alleged criminals, and said the upward trend in mob violence incidents undermines rule of law. The LNBA noted that the increase is particularly disturbing, as these activities are seemingly more violent, with a tendency to kill victims and turn against security forces who attempt to intervene.
The LNBA reminded all Liberians that since the end of the civil war mob violence has become a frequent occurrence for alleged criminals to be literally lynched, sometimes to death, by an angry mob, including bystanders who simply have no inkling about the issue in the controversy or the person involved. “All that is required to instigate mob violence is to simply shout rogue in the crowded area, and to point at somebody. Before the victim realizes, a mammoth crowd descends on him/her and the consequence is instant death or severe aggravated bodily injury,” the LNBA stated in a press release.
The bar underscored that any person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proved guilty in a competent court, which exercises appropriate jurisdiction over such matters and persons; and that an accused person is entitled to bail as a Constitutional right, unless in capital offenses.
In a related development, the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) has mourned the passing of the 39th President of the United States of America, President Jimmy Carter, in his 100th year. The bar says President Carter will be remembered for his selfless and unflinching support to Liberia’s post-conflict rule of law program, which served as a catalyst to enhance access to justice for all.
The LNBA said the Carter Center’s Rule of Law Program (formerly known as Global Access to Information) successfully worked in partnership with the LNBA, the Government of Liberia (GOL), civil society organizations, and international and regional bodies to improve governance and transform lives through a meaningful right to access to information and justice.
In the release issued recently, the LNBA said the Carter Center’s Rule of Law Project in Liberia successfully partnered with the Ministry of Justice and the LNBA to identify rural justice needs, develop and implement civil education messages and fill immediate short-term gaps to strengthen the formal justice system. Overtime, the LNBA averred, the project expanded, partnering with different actors to deliver sustained impact.
“On a specific note, the Carter Center and the LNBA in June 2022 executed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to provide pro-bono legal assistance to citizens in need across Bong, Nimba, Lofa and Grand Gedeh counties. The initiative was carried out through the voluntary efforts of the LNBA in its quest to always improve access to justice. The ten-month agreement obligated LNBA members to provide legal representation in cases received by The Carter Center (TCC) and its CSO partners. These cases typically involved individuals or families affected by prolonged pretrial detention, a need for due process, habeas corpus support, including the accomplishment of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
“Under the terms of the agreement, The Carter Center assumed responsibility for covering all associated costs, including lodging, transportation, per diem, filing fees and photocopying. The overall support for this endeavor came from the US State Department Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL),” the LNBA release observed.
According to the release, “The collaborative efforts in the partnership encompassed various stages, including the identification of cases, engagement with LNBA’s leadership, recruitment and regular briefings of lawyers, case review, development of deployment and field engagement plans, actual deployment and execution of duties.”
The LNBA then consoled President Joe Biden, the government and people of the United States of America for the irreplaceable loss of an international legal icon whose passing has left a void in the global community.
