Several pretrial detainees have reportedly blamed Liberian Magistrates for the huge number of people in detention at the Monrovia Central Prison due to the lack of bond fees from the suspected criminals with lesser offenses.
The detainees over the weekend told our judicial Reporter that Judges especially magistrates are responsible for their prolonged incarceration in prison due to their failure to provide magistrates’ signature fees.
The detainees claimed they are often informed by their lawyers surrounding magistrates’ demand between $50 to $100 United States Dollars as bond fees before approving their bail bond for charges ranging from Persistent Non-Support, Terrorist Threat, Disorderly Conduct, and Simple Assault.
The pretrial detainees’ accounts come at the time when Chief Justice Francis Korkpor has summoned all Magistrates in Montserrado County to appear before him this Monday at the Temple of Justice.
Monday’s gathering with the Magistrates will be centered around the alarming number of people in prison, mainly pretrial detainees.
Justice Korpkor’s October 27, Summon will also see the Country’s Attorney General and Dean of the Supreme Court, Cllr. Musa Dean formed part of the gathering with the Magistrates at the Temple of Justice.
