Democracy is inconceivable without the rule of law. Rule of law is enforced by a robust judiciary that is independent and impartial. This requires well remunerated magistrates and judges who have no other distractions and are motivated to devote all their energies to the delivery of justice.
The problem of the Gambian Judiciary is the working conditions that do not motivate legal practitioners to move from the bar to the bench.
Security is also a challenge as magistrates move about and interact with people whose cases they have presided over, without vehicles or security guards.
The Theme of this year’s legal year should be “Providing a justice friendly Judiciary.”
This is only possible when judges and magistrates are given the environment that enables them to deliver justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will.
