By Aaron B. Nemah
Judge Nelson Tokpa of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court in Maryland County, has highlighted the shortage of specialized judges in the county.
Judge Tokpa made the observation over the weekend when Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay visited the newly constructed judicial complex in Harper City, the county’s political capital.
He spoke of how the debt, traffic, labor, and tax courts, are currently non-operational due to lack of assigned judges.
This crippling shortage, Tokpa said, has forced the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court to shoulder multiple responsibilities, leading to a staggering backlog of cases and delayed trials, just as residents demand speedy justice.
Tokpa has meanwhile, called on the government, via the Office of the Chief Justice to assign judges.
The situation is further complicated by inadequate judiciary staff, and a severe shortage of private lawyers, partly due to the county’s remote location.
Despite these challenges, Judge Tokpa praised Chief Justice Gbeisay for the visit, saying the new complex will be a game-changer to access justice the county.
Maryland County Superintendent Henry B. Cole, welcomed the Chief Justice. Cole underscored the importance of the visit to strengthen the justice system.