Judiciary unveils ‘Lady of Justice’ statue

The Judiciary of The Gambia yesterday afternoon unveiled a magnificent statue dubbed: “Lady of Justice”, which officials said symbolizes and embodied the independence, fairness, balanced and impartial nature of justice.

Designed by a young Gambian woman, Nelly Aubee, the statue was officially unveiled by Edward Anthony Gomez, attorney general and minister of Justice, and Emmanuel Agim, Chief Justice of The Gambia.

A human-size sculpture depicted with a set of scales and a double-edged sword, the statue is seen as a symbol of justice.

Speaking at the formal unveiling of the statue, the minister of justice said it symbolizes the continuous independence of the judiciary.

The statue, he added, also signifies the significance President Jammeh attaches to access to justice and good governance.

Noting that The Gambia has an efficient and effective justice delivery system compared to other countries or places, Justice minister Gomez said the judges are impartial.

“Those advocating for justice should be totally impartial and judges and magistrates must listen to all the evidence, weigh and see where justice lies,” he said, adding that at the end of day, justice comes to play.

He noted that independence and impartiality of the judiciary depends on those at the service, including judicial officials and staff.

He said the statue represents justice and the place and temple of justice that everyone will reap the fruit.

Chief Justice Agim said the Gambian judiciary shall remain committed to widening access to justice to all Gambians.

He hailed the efforts of Nelly Aubee for designing the statue, which he said was sponsored by President Jammeh.

“The statue emphasized what we are doing here with regards to access to justice, and it shows the commitment of all those associated with it,” he said, adding further that the importance of justice delivery to the development of any country cannot be overemphasized.

The statue, according to him, symbolizes hope for all, especially the most vulnerable.

Chief Justice Agim assured all that the judiciary will continue to strive to ensure that they provide fair and competitive justice to everybody in The Gambia.

Speaking briefly at the ceremony, Nelly Aubee said the statue was moulded and built up with the use of a variety of materials such as galvanized metal, stone works, fiber, cold dust mixed with paint and marble, among others.

The ceremony was witness by judges of the high court and appeal court, as well as judicial staff, the media and litigants.