Africa-Press – Liberia. The official retirement of Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh on Monday was overshadowed by the conspicuous absence of senior officials from the Executive and Legislative branches, sparking speculation of a silent protest — and possible political payback.
The seats reserved for President Joseph N. Boakai, Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and President Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence are all empty throughout the ceremony.
Yuoh, who reached the constitutionally mandated retirement age of 70, delivered her farewell address during the opening of the Supreme Court’s August Term. Traditionally, such ceremonies draw leaders from all three branches of government, symbolizing mutual respect and cooperation.
This time, lawmakers and top executive officials were missing — including Justice Minister and Attorney General Cllr. Oswald Tweh, Dean of the Supreme Court Bar.
Analysts suggest the boycott may have been a response to an earlier snub in January, when Chief Justice Yuoh and other members of the judiciary were absent from President Boakai’s Annual Message amid a tense political impasse in the House of Representatives.
Some legal observers also point to dissatisfaction over controversial rulings during Yuoh’s tenure, while others see the move as a show of political muscle and a sign of deepening strain among the branches of government.
Despite the absence of top political figures, the courtroom was filled with members of the legal fraternity, the Liberia National Bar Association, and foreign diplomats, who hailed Yuoh’s pioneering role as Liberia’s first post-war female Chief Justice and her decades of service.
As of press time, neither the Legislature nor the Executive had explained their absence, leaving public debate over whether the incident signals a widening rift or a symbolic political gesture with lasting implications.
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