The Temple of Justice in Monrovia, which houses the Supreme Court and various other courtrooms, is traditionally a symbol of fairness and justice. However, recent reports suggest a different reality within the third branch of government.

Following the disappearance of over US$100,000 from a vault in Civil Law Court 'B' last month, two court officers were arrested this week for their alleged involvement in a check theft syndicate operating within the Judiciary.

The arrested individuals, Sheriff Pobleh Wea and former Court Clerk Nathaniel Worlor, were implicated in the withdrawal of over US$300,000 from an escrow account held by an unidentified commercial bank under the jurisdiction of the Civil Law Court.

Initially, Wea was suspected when it was discovered that he had withdrawn US$9,000 from the account that was established as a temporary place to keep money resulting from cases ruled in favor of litigants (complainants). 

Wea was arrested when he surrendered himself after an arrest order was made by the court. It was based on the arrest that he implicated Worlor as also being involved. Worlor is now assigned to the Omega Magisterial Court in Paynesville and was arrested early this month.

During a brief hearing at the Civil Law Court on Thursday, January 11, Wea and Worlor were released to their relatives to allow them to report to the court daily until an indictment can be drawn against them.

The investigation began when Sheriff Wea went missing for a week; coincidentally, the same day he was supposed to hand over US$9,000, among other court fees, to a litigant following a judgment. 

Reports emerged on December 14, 2023, that over US$100,000 had gone missing from a vault in the courtroom of the Civil Law Court ‘B’. The vault was said to be under the control of Wea, an employee of the Ministry of Justice assigned to the Judicial Branch. 

 Reflecting on this development, Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh recently issued a memo advising judges and magistrates to exercise caution when handling money and issuing checks to judicial officers, in light of these incidents.

The investigation into this matter came to light after Sheriff Wea was reported missing for a week, coinciding with the day he was supposed to hand over the funds to a litigant following a judgment.

Reports of missing funds and organized schemes within the Judiciary are not new, indicating a persistent problem that needs to be urgently addressed.

Judicial actors have voiced concerns about the potential involvement of other individuals in Wea's escape, although it remains unclear whether their participation was intentional. A source close to the judiciary revealed that these incidents have exposed the deep-rooted nature of corruption within the system.

“Whether he did that willingly or was coerced or threatened, I am not sure, but I know for sure somebody did participate in this organized scheme,” the source said. “After reading the memo, nobody saw this coming,” he added. 

The source cited a similar incident of a sheriff absconding with a substantial amount of money from the Monrovia City Court as an example.

“This organized scheme is an age-old problem with the Judiciary and absolutely nothing else is being done to tackle the issues. It happens at the Monrovia City Court, where a sheriff assigned there escaped with thousands of United States dollars,” another source added. “There is no history that a sheriff involved with this act was arrested. We are watching what will happen.

Therefore, the source noted, the outcome of the ongoing investigation and subsequent actions taken by authorities will be monitored closely.

The overall reputation of Liberia's judiciary has come under scrutiny, both locally and internationally, with allegations of pervasive corruption. Numerous international human rights reports have criticized the perceived lack of integrity and transparency within the system.

Senior judicial figures, including Associate Justice Yusuf D. Kaba, and Judge Nancy Sammy admit that the system is corrupt, but have highlighted the need for reforms to address this issue.

Justice Yusuf D. Kaba, told the public that the Judiciary is the “Black Cow” of the government.

“The judiciary is a Black Cow in the government; we don’t tell ourselves the truth, go and read the American Department of State report,” Kaba said, at the Second Judicial Circuit Court in  Buchanan, Grand Bassa County, in November 2021. “The Judiciary has been tarnished because of so many bad peanuts that have gotten involved with the Judiciary System,” he said, adding that some judicial actors who do not have consciences are damaging the Judiciary system.

He urged judges to change their behaviors, stating that if not, the citizens would lose confidence in them; something he said would cause chaos in the country.

“We want to advise members of the judiciary to desist or else the citizens will lose confidence in all of us very soon,” he said. 

Judge Sammy, president of the National Trial Judges Association of Liberia, also acknowledged the prevalence of corruption within the judiciary. She said that it is a glaring fact that the Liberian Judiciary is corrupt. “It is a fact that the Judiciary is corrupt,” the Judge said at the 2022 Law Day celebrations at the Monrovia City Hall.

The U.S. Department of State's 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Liberia specifically mentioned that judges and magistrates were susceptible to influence and engaged in corrupt practices. The report raised concerns about solicitation of bribes for favorable outcomes in trials, undue pressure on judicial officials, and predetermined trial outcomes, particularly when defendants had political or social connections.

 “Defense attorneys and prosecutors reportedly directed defendants to pay bribes to secure favorable decisions from judges, prosecutors, and jurors or to have court staff place cases on the docket for trial,” the report said. “Some judicial officials and prosecutors appeared subject to pressure, and the outcome of some trials appeared to be predetermined, especially when the accused persons were politically connected or socially prominent.”

Previous annual reports from the U.S. State Department have also condemned the judiciary, at one point terming it as the most corrupt institution in the country. 

It is, therefore, no secret that these recent incidents of alleged fraud and corruption further underscore the urgent need to address the systemic issues within the Judiciary. It is crucial for the public's trust and confidence in the courts to be restored, as the integrity of the judicial system is fundamental to ensuring a just and equitable society.