-Amid Operations Funding Constraint
By: Shallon S. Gonlor |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — Confronted with an exhausted prosecution budget, the Nimba County Attorney’s office says it borrowed funds to keep operating last term. County Attorney Cllr. John D. Miah detailed this perseverance in his quarterly report for the November Term of Court 2025, on Monday February 9, 2026, at the 8th Judicial Circuit Complex in Sanniquellie, Nimba County.
The chronic underfunding of County and District Coroners, also led to a rising number of suspicious deaths. During the November Term alone, the office documented over six such cases across the county’s six statutory districts. The report reveals that securing witnesses for Grand Jury hearings and covering operational costs like transportation, file reproduction, and rent, totaling $LD23,800 amid the resource gaps imperiled their effectiveness.
Cllr. John D. Miah emphasized the critical need to staff key positions, noting that of Nimba County’s 18 Magisterial Courts, only two have City Solicitors, severely hampering the state’s ability to prosecute cases.
To strengthen the justice system, Cllr. Miah is calling on the Ministry of Justice to prioritize the recruitment of city solicitors, coroners, and sheriffs. Furthermore, the office’s capacity is undermined by an acute shortage of basic resources, including prosecution funds, stationery, and essential equipment like computers and printers.
Despite the financial shortage, his team secured the successful prosecution of seven out of eight criminal cases tried in court, convictions in serious crimes including murder, drug trafficking, and aggravated assault, resulting in sentences for 105 individuals
A closer look at the term’s docket shows the scale of the office’s work: 55 criminal cases were docketed, the Grand Jury handed down 10 indictments, and magistrates forwarded 10 more cases for its review. Meanwhile, 16 cases remain pending indictment, and prosecutors dismissed two others for insufficient evidence.
The cases Cllr. John D. Miah’s office secured convictions in cases that include: murder, unlicensed possession, distribution, and sale of controlled substances, aggravated assault, criminal conspiracy, theft of property, manslaughter, criminal mischief, and others.
The prosecution team’s efforts have resulted in a total of 105 sentences so far – 98 male adults, 3 female adults, and 4 juvenile males are serving time at Sanniquellie Central Prison, bringing the total inmate population to 335. These convictions stem from jury trials and plea bargaining agreements over the years.
Cllr. Miah’s quarterly report for November Term 2025 drew a diverse crowd, including government officials, judges, members of the Nimba County Bar Association, Liberia National Bar Association, Nimba County Administration representative, security personnel, jury venire, traditional leaders, prominent citizens, religious leaders, students, and more.
