Judge Banwon Against Bribery, Undue Influence

Criminal Court ‘A’ assigned Judge, D. Onesi­mus Banwon, has spoken against court officials taking bribe, and yielding to undue influence.

Banwon observed that in recent times, jurors have become increasingly vulnerable to accepting bribery, and conceding to outside influence.

The two situations, he said, have raised serious questions about the credibility of criminal trials.

Judge Banwon made the remarks on Monday, August 10, while delivering the judges’ charge at the opening of the August Term of the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ ‘D’ and ‘E’ at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia.

Banwon said, the conduct of some jurors has become so troubling that it is now damaging public confidence in the judiciary.

“The jury system has become vulnerable to the extent that jurors have become susceptible to bribes, and all forms of influences.”

Banwon said, the problem cannot continue to be treated as an isolated misconduct by individual jurors.

He argued that negative jury conduct is increasingly being associated with the credibility of the entire justice system.

He called on relevant stakeholders to undertake a comprehensive reassessment of the jury system.

Meanwhile, Banwon has called for the abandonment of the jury system altogether if it is determined that the system has outlived its usefulness.

“If the jury system has outlived its usefulness, we must make the decision to scrap it in the interest of justice and fair play.”

Judge Banwon’s warning comes at a particularly sensitive moment for criminal justice system, where allegations involving jury interference, and judicial misconduct have recently generated public concern.

Opening the August Term, Judge Banwon described the criminal assizes as a “true testing ground” for democracy.

He said, constitutional rights are easy to proclaim on paper, but more difficult to protect during actual criminal trials.