Africa-Press – Liberia. Senator Varney Sherman of Grand Cape Mount County and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee stated that his decision to recuse himself or not from the confirmation proceedings of nominee Frank Musa Dean is discretionary and will be made known.
His comment was in response to an inquiry from FrontPageAfrica regarding the basis of his long-standing relationship with the nominee as a partner and family friend and whether such a connection could amount to a conflict of interest in his position as a senator.
In 2016, Senator Sherman, as chair of the Senate’s Judicial Committee, recused himself from confirmation proceedings for the deceased Fedrick Cherue, nominated by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as justice minister based on a longstanding family relationship.
“I will make that known if I am going to do it, but recusal is discretionary in this case. I see no conflict of interest. When he was nominated Justice Minister by President Weah, I chaired the confirmation proceedings.”
In December 2023, outgoing President George M. Weah nominated Cllr. Frank Musa Dean, Jr., the current Minister of Justice and Attorney General, as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
President Weah conveyed this nomination in a letter addressed to Minister Dean, expressing his confidence in the Minister’s ability to contribute meaningfully to the promotion of peace, reconciliation, and the overall development of the country. His nomination comes in the wake of the early retirement sought by Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe.
The nomination, as per the Liberian Constitution, requires confirmation by the Liberian Senate. President Weah has formally notified the Senate of Cllr. Frank Musa Dean’s nomination and requested the submission of 35 copies of the nominee’s resume for review. Cllr. Frank Musa Dean has been at the helm of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s office, overseeing crucial legal matters and providing legal advice to the government.
The Minister also played a pivotal role in coordinating national security operations through various security apparatuses, including the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service, Liberia National Fire Service, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, National Security Agency, and the national intelligence gathering and management.
Under Minister Dean’s leadership, the Ministry of Justice achieved significant milestones in policy strategy, legislation formulation, and institutional capacity building. Key achievements include the finalization of a Strategic Plan, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law, and the validation of the National Human Rights Action Plan. The Ministry has also actively engaged with development partners to support the construction of specialized Criminal Courts focused on handling sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases.
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