Some members of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) have accused present and past executive leaders of the organization for what they described as a betrayal and a sad ending in the campaign that led to the replacement of Cllr. Jonathan T. Massaquoi by President Joseph Boakai.
The condemnation comes after President Boakai decided to replace Cllr. Massaquoi, which they viewed as a “betrayal” of the Association principles and values and a fraternity to support its member.
Cllr. Massaquoi, a member of the Association was nominated by President Boakai as Executive Director of the Office of the War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia.
Few months later, it is reported that his own institution joined several other Civil Society Organizations to call for his removal on grounds that the President did not consult with them prior to making the nomination for one of their own members.
The action, to remove Cllr. Massaquoi, according to some members of the LNBA has steered deep disappointment within the organization and viewed such decision as a betrayal of their long-standing democratic values.
Speaking on Cllr. Massaquoi’s removal, Cllr. Sylvester Rennie said his organization was not consulted in the executive order or the appointment of Cllr. Massaquoi.
The Bar’s president noted the Bar’s exclusion is a major blunder and a dramatic departure from the long history of the executive branch consulting the Liberian legal community on judicial matters.
In order to prevent Cllr. Massaquoi from serving the position as an Executive Director, the president of the LNBA claimed that President Boakai has broken a decade-long tradition in the Judiciary by appointing officials, including Cllr. Massaquoi without having him been vetted by the Bar.
“The tradition is that, when there are positions within the judicial sector or the justice sector, the Bar is normally consulted to conduct a vetting process because we know our lawyers,” Rennie said.
Rennie stated further, “We know their capacities. We do the vetting and then send a shortlist to you.”
Even though, the 1986 Constitution gives Boakai the responsibility to make nomination at his will and pressure, Rennie contended that, it was the Bar that drafted the bill to establish the court and presented it to the Legislature in 2021.
“The Bar’s role has not changed in its quest for the formation of war and economic crimes courts for Liberia,” Mr. Rennie said; “The Bar will work with all lawyers. But the Bar remains an organization that respects itself and must be respected by every other person like how our international partners respect us.”
Another past president of the Bar, Cllr. Tiawan S. Gongloe has since condemned the process which led to the appointment of Cllr. Massaquoi.
“There should have been wider consultations with the civil society, victims and the Bar,” said Cllr. Gongloe.
He emphasized further, “It is the first time in our history that we have done this so it really matters. It has nothing to do with presidential authority or his qualifications. We require support of the wider society. Conversation with civil society was not done. It’s shocking. In the end it’s the victims who need to feel closure on this.”
Cllr. Gongloe said he was concerned that unless the appointment was embraced by victims it could sow seeds of conflict in years to come. Rennie and Gongloe gave number of reasons for their involvement with the campaign to replace Cllr. Massaquoi, including worries about his representation of Agnes Taylor, wife of convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor and other actors of war/economic crimes in Liberia.
Meanwhile, other aggrieved members of the Bar have denounced Rennie and Gongloe’s action, describing it as a “betrayal” and deviating far from what they described as the association’s “core values”.
They declared that the association had “dramatically changed” and accused it of no longer being “champions of the constitution.”
Meanwhile, unconfirmed report has it that the LNBA had initially lobbied with President Joseph Boakai to nominate its National Secretary General, Bornor M. Varmah.
