Africa-Press – Liberia. A clear divide is emerging in the Liberian Judiciary, with action and counter-action between the Liberian National Bar Association and the Supreme Court of Liberia. Following the Bar’s recent public criticism of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the leadership crisis at the House of Representatives, the Court has retaliated by boycotting a Law Day celebration organized by the Bar.
The entire bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia was visibly absent from Friday’s Law Day commemoration held by the Bar, where Her Honor, Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, had been invited to speak. Unfortunately, neither Her Honor, Chief Justice Yuoh, nor any member of the bench showed up, in what seemed to be a complete snub of the Bar.
It was a national occasion reserved for members of the legal profession, including lawyers, judges, law school students, Justices of the Supreme Court, and the Chief Justice or a designee. But the highest echelon of the Liberian Justice System and Final Arbiter of justice distanced itself, right before the eyes of international partners.
It took former Chief Justice, Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott, to save the day by delivering the keynote speech, strongly rebuking the LNBA President’s public condemnation of the Supreme Court. “Whether we like it or not, we must respect the opinion of the Supreme Court,” Cllr. Scott said, emphasizing, “When the Court speaks, it is final!”
She warned against politicizing legal institutions and cautioned the Bar against stepping into political territory under the guise of legal advocacy. “You don’t reject or disrespect the Court’s decision,” she emphasized. “The law clearly states that no lawyer shall do anything to undermine the integrity of the Court.”
This is occurring at a time the High Court faces politic maneuvering to cast doubts on its recent opinion rendered on the controversy surrounding the Speakership of the House of Representatives, where the Executive, backed by group of lawmakers, who styled themselves “Majority Bloc”, illegally removed Speaker J. Fonati Koffa, replacing him by a ruling party lawmaker, Richard Nagbe Koon that Court does not recognize as Speaker.
It is saddening and quite unfortunate that the bodies clothed with authority to protect and interpret the law of the land would be in so deep disagreement and distance apart due to clear political maneuvering.
But then we are not so surprised. The Executive, purely obsessed with wielding political power, had wanted this all along – to have its way in judicial matters for selfish interest, while playing lip service to respect for the rule of law.
Rather than constitutionally enforcing the Supreme Court’s ruling by restoring Speaker Koffa’s amenities as the legitimate Speaker of the 55th Legislature, President Joseph Boakai has made it clear that the ruling from the High Court is not enforceable, and therefore, the matter remains unresolved.
We call on both the Bar and the Supreme Court to avoid a tit for tat scenario over this situation, because this is the aim of politicians. We urge both sides to see the compelling need to uphold the sanctity of the legal profession and the Constitution of Liberia, come what may, by ceasing any further action against each other, and allow posterity to judge which side truly is in support of the rule of law, the Judiciary, or the Executive.
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