The
Attorney General and minister of Justice has come our clean and clear on the
controversial happenings or challenges in the country’s judicial sector.
His
office has outlined such issues as the legal liability bill of more than D2
billion it would cost the nation for international cases filed against The
Gambia under the Jammeh regime; the rationale behind the truth and
reconciliation commission; the capacity development needs of the judicial
system of the country; and the need for more and thorough investigations into
cases before real action is taken.
These
factors really set the pace for a smooth, fair and impartial justice system in
The Gambia, as rightly outlined by the Justice minister.
“…Our
criminal justice system will dispense justice in a fair, impartial and
dispassionate manner,” he noted, saying: “We must focus on building a strong,
robust and independent justice system to match the aspirations of the people of
this country so that no one in this country will ever be dragged before our
courts for a crime that they did not commit. That is the primary objective of
our reform agenda.”
We
would like to commend the Justice minister for his willingness and
determination to build and uphold a just, fair and honest justice system in our
country that should be the envy of all.
If
at all our words are our bonds, such a system of justice dispensation can be
attained, and if at all we could achieve such targets, then our justice system
would be a reference for the world.
Furthermore,
we noted keenly the citation of the case of the death of Solo Sandeng and the
like, mentioned in the statement of the Justice minister, and how he “takes
very seriously” such cases and all other similar unfortunate incidents over the
past 22 years of the former government.
Of
course, we as a media outlet are a direct victim of what transpired over the
past 22 years of the former government, with the assassination of journalist
Deyda Hydara, co-publisher and managing editor of The Point newspaper.
So,
we therefore subscribe to the Justice ministry’s position in trying to adopt a
comprehensive and holistic approach to addressing these justice-related
challenges rather than approaching them piecemeal.
So
many bizarre and awful things took place during the past 22 years, which must
be unearthed for a just system to be seen and proper healing and reconciliation
ensured.
So,
take the right steps our Justice minister; we are watching!
"I
think the first duty of society is justice."
Alexander
Hamilton
