http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/nov/nov16/news16.php
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=91563

we will see what mao will do for these case. hope court of mao will decide.

i thought it is only in america that culprits get off on technicality. i guess nepal has started following the american judicial system. like johnny said "if it doesn't fit, you must acquit". won't be surpirsed to see these thugs become ministers in the new interim cabinet.we are quite naive to believe that these thugs will be convicted on anti-bhrastachar laws made by themselves. if i do recall correctly, khume was the home minister who drafted the law and wagle presented to the parliament on his absence and joshi, gachhedar & the rest were memebers of the cabinet at the time. they must have left lot of loopholes to save themselves.

खाओबादी ले नि पाउछ जस्तो छ अलि अलि ; नत्र किन तेस्ता भ्रस्ट नेता को समर्थन मा लेखेको त !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! यदि ति भ्रस्ट थियेनन भने कसरि नेपल 8th position मा आयो भ्रस्टचरी को। अनि ति नेता ले भ्रस्टचार् न गरे कस्ले गर्यो त। कांग्रेस् ले त हो नि देश् लै यहा पुरायेको। अब chiranjibi and Bijay gachhadar को पालो।।
जय गीरीजा,जय लाउडा, जय भ्रस्ट कांग्रेस्।

I am glad that CIAA will appeal to Supreme Court!
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnepalinews.php?&nid=91683

DB

भ्रष्टाचार मुद्दामा एकपछि अर्को सफाइ

हरिबहादुर थापा र बालकृष्ण बस्नेत

काठमाडौं, कार्तिक ३० -
भ्रष्टाचार मुद्दामा पूर्वमन्त्री खुमबहादुर खड्काले सफाइ पाएको भोलिपल्टै अर्का पूर्वमन्त्री गोविन्दराज जोशीलाई पनि विशेष अदालतले सफाइ दिएको छ । खडकालाई 'अभियोग प्रमाणित हुन नसकेको' देखाइएको थियो भने जोशीको मुद्दा भने ढिलो दर्ता गरेको भन्दै अदालतले खारेज गरेको हो ।
अख्तियार दुरुपयोग अनुसन्धान आयोगले भने प्राविधिक कारण देखाएर भ्रष्टाचारजस्तो गहन विषयवस्तु ओझेल पार्ने गरी त्रुटिपूर्ण फैसला भएको प्रतिक्रिया दिँदै त्यसविरुद्ध सर्वोच्च अदालत जाने जनाएको छ । यो फैसलाले यस्तै प्रकृतिका दर्जनौं मुद्दालाई प्रभावित गर्नेछ ।

तीन करोड ९३ लाख अवैध तरिकाले आफू र परिवारको नाममा राखेको अभियोगमा १३ वर्षसम्म कैद सजाय र जरिवाना माग गर्दै जोशीविरुद्ध अख्तियारले चार वर्षअघि मुद्दा दायर गरेको थियो ।

अदालतले पहिलोचोटि हदम्यादको प्रश्न उठाउँदै जोशीको मुद्दा खारेज गरेको हो । विशेषका अध्यक्ष्ा भूपध्वज अधिकारी तथा सदस्यद्वय कोमलनाथ शर्मा र चोलेन्द्रशमशेर राणाको इजलासले फैसला गरेको हो ।

अख्तियार ऐनको २०५९ साउन ३० मा भएको संशोधनमा मुद्दा दायर गर्ने म्यादबारे उल्लेख नगरेकाले २०४८ को व्यवस्था मान्नुपर्ने उल्लेख गर्दै फैसलामा भनिएको छ- '२०४८ को कानुनले तोकेको हदम्यादमा मुद्दा दायर नभएकाले तथ्यभित्र प्रवेश गरी इन्साफ गर्न मिलेन । प्रस्तुत मुद्दा खारेज हुने ठहर्छ ।'

२०४८ को अख्तियार ऐनको दफा २९ को प्रतिबन्धात्मक वाक्यांशमा भ्रष्टाचार भएको एक वर्षभित्र मुद्दा चलाई सक्नुपर्ने व्यवस्था छ । अख्तियारका एक आयुक्तले भने ऐन खारेज भइसकेपछि मुद्दा दायर भएकाले पुरानो ऐन आकषिर्त नहुने बताए ।

फैसलामा २०५९ जेठ ८ मा प्रतिनिधिसभा विघटन भएको र त्यसपछि कानुन संशोधन भएका बेला जोशी सार्वजनिक पद धारण गर्ने राष्ट्रसेवक नरहेको उल्लेख छ ।

फैसलामा अख्तियारले तोकिएभन्दा छ महिना ढिलो मुद्दा दायर गरेको उल्लेख छ । जेठ ८ मा प्रतिनिधिसभा विघटन भएपछि उनको सार्वजनिक पद समाप्त भएको र त्यसको एक वर्षभित्र मुद्दा दायर नभएको अदालतले भनेको छ ।

यो फैसलाले पूर्वमन्त्री रवीन्द्रनाथ शर्मा, पूर्वसचिवद्वय पदमराज पोखरेल र चक्रबन्धु अर्याल, दुई पूर्व प्रहरी महानिरीक्षक मोतीलाल बोहरा र अच्युतकृष्ण खरेल, सहसचिव सावित्री राजभण्डारी र अन्य दुई कर्मचारीका मुद्दा पनि प्रभावित हुने अख्तियार स्रोतले जनायो ।

अघिल्लो दिन विशेषले अर्का पूर्वमन्त्री एवं कांग्रेस नेता खुमबहादुर खडकालाई पनि भ्रष्टाचार मुद्दामा सफाइ दिएको थियो । त्यसमा भने हदम्यादको प्रश्न नउठाई मुद्दाको तथ्यमा प्रवेश गरेर गैरकानुनी सम्पत्ति राखिएको पुष्टि नभएको फैसला गरिएको थियो ।

अख्तियारको अभियोगमा 'पर्याप्त आधार र कारण नखुलेको' भन्दै खड्काको मुद्दा खारेज भएको थियो । 'वैध आयस्रोतको अनुपातमा अमिल्दो र अस्वाभाविक सम्पत्ति आर्जन गरेको भन्ने दाबी पुष्टि हुन आएन,' सफाइ दिने फैसलामा भनिएको छ । खडकाको कुल सम्पत्ति २ करोड ७५ लाख ९८ हजारमा ३९ लाख १० हजार मात्र वैध रहेकाले पाँच वर्ष कैद सजायसहित दाबी गर्दै अख्तियारले मुद्दा दायर गरेको थियो ।

अख्तियारका एक आयुक्तले विशेषको फैसला त्रुटिपूर्ण भएको, तथ्य, प्रमाणको विश्लेषण नै नभएकाले तत्काल सर्वोच्च जाने बताए । 'हदम्याद नाघेको भन्ने फैसलामा सहमति हुने ठाउँ छैन,' ती आयुक्तले बिहीबार राति कान्तिपुरसँग भने- 'अख्तियार प्राप्त कानुनअनुरूप दायर मुद्दामा अदालतले गलत ढंगले लिएको छ ।'

भ्रष्टाचारको विषयमा प्रवेश नगरी मूल दायित्वबाटै पन्छिएकाले यो फैसला बदर गर्न आयोग सर्वोच्च जाने पनि उनले बताए । 'हदम्यादजस्तो झिनो आधार देखाई ठूला अभियुक्त बचाउने काम भएको छ । अब यो विवाद सर्वाेच्चबाटै टुंगो लाग्नेछ,' उनले फैसलाको पूरा अंश पाएपछि यसबारे आयोगले औपचारिक निर्णय गर्ने पनि बताए ।

हदम्यादभित्र दायर हुन आएको हो, होइन भन्ने हेर्ने जिम्मेवारी प्रायः अदालत प्रशासनलाई हुन्छ । 'हदम्याद नाघेका मुद्दा अदालतमा कसरी दर्ता हुन्छन् ? त्यतिबेला दर्ता अस्वीकार किन गरिएन ?' ती आयुक्तको प्रश्न थियो । यतिबेला हदम्यादलाई टेकेर मुद्दा फर्काउनु आश्चर्य रहेको टिप्पणी गर्दै उनले भने- 'यो अभियुक्त उम्काउने प्राविधिक खेल हो । तथ्यभित्र प्रवेश गरेपछि सजाय गर्नुपर्ने हुँदा चलाखी गरिएको हो ।'

अख्तियार ऐनको दफा १३ -२) मा भ्रष्टाचारको सम्बन्धमा पाँच वर्षभित्र आयोगले कारबाही चलाउन सक्ने व्यवस्था छ ।

छानबिनका क्रममा जोशीले 'मौन रहने' अधिकारको प्रयोग गर्दै अख्तियारमा बयान दिन अस्वीकार गरेका थिए । वासुदेव पन्त, नीरकुमारी पन्त, रामकृष्ण तिवारीले जोशीको गैरकानुनी आर्जनको सम्पत्ति लुकाउन सहयोग गरेको भन्दै अख्तियारले उनीहरूलाई पनि प्रतिवादी बनाएको थियो ।

'अख्तियार ऐन संशोधन नभएको भएमात्र एक वर्षको हदम्याद लाग्ने थियो,' पूर्व नायब महान्यायाधिवक्ता नन्दबहादुर सुवेदीले भने- 'संशोधन भएपछि त्यसको प्रयोजन सकिएकाले अदालत यही आधारमा पन्छनु उपयुक्त हुँदैन थियो ।'

Thanks Dumer_Bhansar for posting the news, as i had wanted to see CIAA's reaction....

More news on Joshi acquittal!
http://www.enepalnews.com/1nov/16nov/5.htm

भष्टाचारीहरुलाई फटाफट अदालतको सफाई
इनेपाल न्युज डट कम कार्तिक ३० गते । अख्तियारले डामेका नेपाली काग्रेसका केन्द्रीय सदस्य तथा प्रतिनिधि सभाका सांसद समेत रहेका पूरवमन्त्री गोविन्द राज जोशीलाई विशेष अदालतले निजका विरुद्ध दायर गरिएको मुद्धाको खारेजी गरिदिएको छ । विहीवार भएको वसेको विशेष अदालतका अध्यक्ष भुपध्वज अधिकारी तथा सदस्यद्धय कोमलनाथ शर्मा र चोलेन्द्रशमशेर जवराको पूर्ण इजलासले उक्त मुद्धा खारेज गरिएको निर्णय सुनाएको हो । भष्टाचार निवारण ऐन २०५९ लागु हुदाका वखत मन्त्री जोशी कुनै पनि र्सार्वजनिक पदमा नरहेको यससम्वन्धि तहकिकात गर्नु नपर्ने भन्दै सो मुद्धालाई खारेज गरेको हो । अख्तियारले जोशीलाई पद तथा अख्तियारको दुरुपयोग गरी भष्टाचार गरेर चार करोड भन्दा वढी सम्पत्ति आर्जन गरेको अभियोगमा २०६० पुष २५ गते विशेष अदालतमा सो मुद्धा दायर गरेको थियो ।
स्मरणीय छ अख्यितारले जोशीको माइला ससुरा तथा साला सालीका नाममा समेत अकुत सम्पत्ति जम्मा गरेको सप्रमाण विशेष अदालतमा मुद्धा दायर गरेको थियो ।
हिजो भर्खर यही विशेष अदालतले नेपाली काग्रेसका अर्का नेता खुमवहादुर खड्कालाई सफाई दिएको थियो ।
सवोच्च अदालतका एक वकिलले नाम उल्लेख नगर्ने शर्तमा इनेपाललाई वताए अनुसार यी मुद्धा खारेजी र सफाई प्रकृयामा व्यापकमात्रमा आर्थिक लेनदेन भएको वताएका छन तर को कस्ले कति कति लिएका हुन त्यो भने तिनले वताउन चाहेनन् ।
मुलुकमा हिंसा हत्या र आंतकका मतियारहरुले माफी र सफाई पाए पछि अव भष्टाचारीहरुले पनि क्रमश माफि पाउदै गएका प्रति सच्चा लोकतन्त्रवादीहरु तथा नागरिक समाजका प्रतिनिधिहरु अच्चमित भएका छन ।

It's Nepal, Nothing is Impossible here. ha ha ha

enjoy!

Is justice blind, or is it just blindfolded?

Latest news in Nepal:

Supreme court has given a 'clean chit' to ex-ministers Govinda Raj Joshi and Khum Bahadur Khadka, who had been held by the CIAA on corruption-related charges. It can be implicitly assumed that the next in line to receive such 'clean chit' are Bijay Kumar Gachhedar and Chiranjiwi Wagle.

Our spineless justice system, which is apexed by the supreme court, found a way to evade the issue altogether. For details go to KOL news.

My own analysis is that the supreme court decision (not verdict as stated in the KOL news) is not even mildly suprising. Given our justice system and the recent developments, what were we expecting - death sentence? Although I have to admit that there were more than a handful people that were demanding such a harsh sentence, let's face it, it was never going to happen in this environment. The accession to power has infused new-found vigor and audacity onto the once lifeless political parties and its cadres. If an alternate decision had been reached, even slightly as to one which nudged on with the public's sentiments, then we would have witnessed some terror or vandalism of epic proportions. Meanwhile, the justice system managed to stay as white as snow by relying on such a lousy excuse. Is justice blind, or is it just blindfolded? This would be the perfect way to address that topic of discussion.

I am not one bit surprised with the fact that CIAA has filed an appeal against the supreme court decision. Here we go again, back to the merry-go-round. What a game!

If anything, the justice system should have started anew and begun a fair trial against the charges brought on by the CIAA. It would allow the sanctity of CIAA to be presereved, while the defendants would get a fair trial. Otherwise, the supreme court could have remanded the case back to the district court, which would allow for the district court to take a crack at the case, and if required, and when furbished with supplemental and/or accidental findings that are relevant to the case, the supreme court could take over the proceedings.

But giving a 'clean chit' basically abolishes any chance for a future trial in this matter. As a general rule, the supreme court cannot contradict itself during latter proceedings. If these guys were ever brought to trial again, the defense would use same motion over and over, till everyone turned blue. Oh well!

When are we going to learn?

Kudos to there people!
DB
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From Nepali Post
http://nepalipost.com/nepali/samachar.php?nid=1684

भ्रष्टाचारीलाई सिस्नुपानीले सम्मान गर्ने
काठमाडौ, नोभेम्बर १८

२०५५ सालमा स्थापित भई हास्यव्यङ्ग्यसम्बन्धी र्सार्थक प्रस्तुतिमा सक्रिय रहँदै आएको सिस्नुपानी नेपालको दोस्रो बृहत् साधारण सभा शनिवार सम्पन्न भएको छ ।

साधारण सभाले लक्ष्मण गाम्नागेको अध्यक्षतामा गठित १३ सदस्यीय कार्य समितिको प्रथम वैठकले मङ्गलबार बेलुकी चार बजे खुमबहादुर खड्का, गोविन्दराज जोशी र विशेष अदालतको विशेष सम्मानमा अभिनन्दन र्‍यालीको आयोजना गर्ने निर्ण्र्ाागरेको छ ।

करोडौँ भ्रष्टाचार गरी अकूत सम्पत्ति जोडेको आरोपमा लामो समय मुद्धा चलाएर भर्खरै मात्र विशेष अदालतले सफाइ दिएको थियो । अभिनन्दन जुलुस खुल्लामञ्चबाट आरम्भ हुने बताइएको छ ।

शनिवार सम्पन्न साभारण सभाले अध्यक्षमा लक्ष्मण गाम्नागे, उपाध्यक्षमा क्रमशः गोविन्दबाबु तिवारी, धीरेन्द्र प्रेमषिर् र मनोज गजुरेल, महासचिवमा टङ्क आचार्य, सचिवमा हरिकला उप्रेती र कोषाध्यक्षमा माणिकरत्न शाक्यलाई निर्वाचित गरेको छ ।

कार्यसमितिका सदस्यहरूमा अर्जुन पराजुली, थरेन्द्र बराल, देवी घिमिरे, सपन घिमिरे, लक्ष्मण लम्साल, र चक्रपाणी दवाडी निवार्चित भएका छन् । सभाले डा. माधव पोख्रेल, चट्याङ मास्टर, नरनाथ लुइँटेल, विष्णु प्रभात, श्रीधर खनाल, शुष्मा आचार्य, जयराम शर्मा रहेको सल्लाहकार समिति समेत निर्वाचित गरेको छ ।

सभामा लक्ष्मण गाम्नागेद्वारा सङ्गठनात्मक प्रतिवेदन र हरिकला उप्रेतीद्वारा आर्थिक प्रतिवेदन प्रस्तुत गरिएपछि पुरानो कार्यसमिति विघटन गरिएको थियो ।

वरिष्ठ रङ्गकर्मी सुनिल पोख्रेलको प्रमुख आतिथ्यमा सम्पन्न साधारण सभाको नयाँ नेतृत्व निर्वाचन गर्न डा. माधव पोख्रेल, डा. शुष्मा आचार्य र नरनाथ लुइँटेलको तीन सदस्यीय अध्यक्ष मण्डल गठन गरिएको थियो ।
र्
र्सवसम्मत ढङ्गले नेतृत्व चयन भएपछि नवगठित कार्य समितिलाई डा. शुष्मा आचार्य, डा.माधव पोख्रेल, श्रीधर खनाल र नरनाथ लुइँटेलले बधाई एवम् शुभकामना मन्तव्य व्यक्त गर्नु भएको थियो ।

स्रोत : स्वतन्त्र समाचार सेवा

I am not sure what is going on there but people might speculate following few things:

1. the concerned people are voters bank in some nitch area
2. one may not rule out the conspiracy theory
3. weak justice system
4. anything is possible in Nepal!!!

If these voices are ever heard!!!

Khaobadi,
It looks like you are getting paid by the culprits like Govinda raj Joshi. Let me prove you by saying

Dinesh joshi (youngest son of Govnda Raj Joshi),
I just wonder if you knew you and your dad were innocent why did you have to fell the country (nepal) via India on your way back to Australia after you had an warrant (this happened in late 2003). If you think u and ur dad innocent of this kind of crime you could have stayed in nepal and fought for this.

This proofs that these culprits paid a BIG sum of money to Justice system in nepal and are coming out CLEAN. (LORD help this justice system in Nepal Please)

जोशिको नजरले भ्रष्टाचार गर्नुस्, एक बर्ष जोगिनुस्, त्यसपछि सम्पति बैध बन्नेछ

Well said Rabin Gurung Jee.

DR
--------------
From Kathmandu Post: Letter to the editor.
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=91981

Letter to the editor
Legitimizing corruption

Recent news stories about the corruption cases against Khum Bahadur Khadka and Gobinda Raj Joshi have conveyed me a message that Loktantra has been established for the corrupt politicians, not the people. I am simply stunned by the news that the two former ministers have been given clean cheats on corruption charges. The mere "technical reasons" could not be the deciding factor. These cases have definitely posed a serious question over not only the rule of law and faith on judicial supremacy in Nepal but also on democracy. Because of widespread corruption, the people had lost their faith on democracy. The corrupt "leaders" were socially rejected everywhere and they were refused to even stand and speak among public during the April uprising and during the time the king directly ruled.

The political parties have started to show their true colors no sooner the democracy is restored. They have started to purify the corrupt members of their party. This case has definitely erased my faith on the whole judiciary system and the political parties. I hope the king will not stage another coup to compel the parties to ask help from the people again.

Rabin Gurung
Kathmandu

A great write up by Mr. Dulal re: Joshi & Khadka acquittal.

DR
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http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0611/S00338.htm
Hari Bansha Dulal: Nepal - Arresting Corruption
Monday, 20 November 2006, 3:14 pm
Opinion: Hari Bansha Dulal

Last week, the Supreme Court judges delivered verdicts on two most closely watched corruption cases against ex-ministers one after another. It looked like as if the old men presiding over the benches had suddenly gotten agile and had become more responsible. However, the new found agility on part of judges caused tornado affect and sucked the trust towards judiciary out when they acquitted the two most tainted ex-ministers of all corruption charges.

The two most tainted men -Khum Bahadur Khadka and Govinda Raj Joshi- that were perceived to have used and abused the system for their personal gains in the last fifteen years were given a clean chit. The ex-ministers duo must be excited because they can now regain the lost power and acquire ministerial berths in post April-revolution Nepal.

By providing a clean chit to these tainted men that were even considered corrupt in their own party circle, the Supreme Court has set a precedent-if you have money and power, you can swindle tax payers' hard earned money and still live a life of a free man. The verdict in these two cases is a severe blow to the rule of law and fight against corruption. In both of these verdicts, questionable conducts of the two defendants were matched by many aspects of the judges that delivered the controversial verdict.

Even if these cases were not a "slam dunk case" on part of Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIIA), the burden of proof for proving that their property came from legal source but not through embezzlement rested on Mr. Khadka and Joshi themselves. The recent verdicts raise questions about the embezzled money getting trickled down to the court rooms. Such perception in itself is a dangerous thing because correction warrants for both marketing a non-corrupt image of judiciary and rebuilding the legitimacy of, and confidence in, the system. Corruption in the judiciary, real or perceived, has an over all impact on the measures taken to control corruption in the country.

ADVERTISEMENT
As judiciary is one arm of defense against corruption, even perception of corruption in judiciary dwarfs the chances of controlling corruption in other areas. In addition, it is important to remain cautious regarding the corruption in judiciary because if a citizenry start perceiving judiciary to be corrupt and playing at the hands of corrupt politicians and government officials, they will stop knocking at the court's door. This is what is exactly happening in Nigeria which is considered as the most corrupt nation on the face of earth. Less than percent of the people surveyed in Nigeria, selected courts as their first choice institution for the correction of corruption. Nigerians seems to have lost faith on judiciary as an intuition to control corruption.

Corruption in the judiciary in Nepal is mainly occurs because of the lack of accountability. Even when judicial process and decisions are viewed and understood by citizens as politically or financially motivated, judges are not held accountable. As judges are not being held accountable, impact on overall effort to control corruption in the country is not gaining any grounds.

It is important to preserve the integrity of judiciary because where there is a high level of trust in the judiciary, there is a lower level of corruption. So, in order to lower the rate of corruption, it is important to keep judiciary clean and trust worthy. However, with all due respect to the judiciary in Nepal, the recent verdicts on these two cases have proved that these men in black coats are encouraging culture of corruption on and off the courtrooms.

Why is corruption a big deal? It is a big deal because it has ripple effect on economic efficiency and development. It retards economic growth, lowers investment, and last but not the least negatively impacts political stability. Foreign direct investments have negative correlation with the presence of corruption within the public sectors in the country. So, for an underdeveloped country like Nepal which is trying to attract foreign investment, it is extremely important to keep the level of corruption under control.

What can Nepalese people do when the corrupt politicians and officials are let set loose by the courts? If nothing, they can demonstrate and force politicians and government officials to step down from the public office like the Filipinos did in the case of President Estrada of the Philippines. In 2002 the protesters demonstrated ferociously and demanded the resignation when the legislature failed to act on evidence of his corruption.

Kathleen Barrett rightly points out the possible damages of perceived corruption in judiciary when she says,"It can be argued that perceived corruption in the judiciary is at least as harmful, if not more so, than actual corruption since the effects are the same but perceptions are not as easy to change as actions".

Judges must be held accountable for their decisions by the general public. If a judge is allowed to apply laws based on the value of a side payment then there is not equality before the law. The very nation of social equity gets eroded. It is not about the freedom of few individuals that amassed illegal wealth through corruption but about the impact of corruption on overall socioeconomic fabric of a society. The effect tends to reverberate through out the economy rather than being confined to the corruption based transactions.

*************
The author is a doctoral candidate of Environmental Science and Public Policy at George Mason University, Virginia and can be reached at hbdulal @ gmu.edu

Please guys...let's not talk about these crooks...They are termites...These people do not deserve to be popular even if in negative sense...they should be isolated...

Please,Please,Please avoid and ignore these people

Someone has to have guts to defend innocent people....I dont understand why people have to get so upset at these innocent men even after getting cleared by the court of law.

Put yourself in their shoes and imagine.

Lets get out of that mentality of double standard..

You guys want a fair justice system develop in Nepal and want these people get convicted based NOT on grounds of evidence (presented by the procecution) but based on the pressure of popular public opinon .

If coursts were to start making decisions based on
popluar public opinion...what is point of demanding fair justic system.

Khaobadi,
WShat are you trying to say, Youu think those leaders were not corrupt. I can give you a book full of example about them being corrupt upon your request.

Also I don't need to put my self in their self and if i do I won't be that corrupt in the first place