New Supreme Court Justice sworn in

A new justice has been called to the bench of the Belize Supreme Court. He is Sir John Muria. A native of the Solomon Islands, Muria began his legal career as a barrister and solicitor in Papua New Guinea and later served as a Justice in the Supreme Court of Sierra Leone before being named Chief Justice in his own country. His lordship will serve in Belize for the next two years, through the auspices of the Commonwealth Secretariat. During this morning’s ceremony, Muria was welcomed to Belize by Chief Justice Dr. Abdulai Conteh, Solicitor General Edwin Flowers, and Vice President of the Bar Association, Jackie Marshallek. After taking his oath of office, Justice Muria addressed the legal community, who he referred to as his new co-workers.

Justice Sir John Muria
“In taking up this office as judge in the Supreme Court, I shall endeavour as far as humanly possible, to serve the people of this country and this judiciary to the best of my abilities. In doing so, I shall take to heart the oath I have just subscribed to and privileged to serve in this office.”

Also welcoming Justice Muria today were the members of the Court of Appeal: Justices Boyd Carey, Dennis Morrison, and President Elliot Mottley. When he addressed the gathering, Mottley said that certainly the number and variety of cases before his court has changed over the years and will make for an interesting period ahead. The Court of Appeal’s first sitting of the year began on Monday.