By Precious D. Freeman
The Supreme Court has ordered the Attorney General and the majority renegades in Koffa’s remover to stop all proceedings in the House of Representatives.
The full bench of the Supreme of Court on November 22,2024, issued an order on the Minister of Justice Oswald Tweh and the agitating lawmakers to appear before them on Tuesday November 26, 2024 so as to listen to the constitutionality of certain actions taken by them in the House of Representatives.
The document reads, “You are here commanded to notify the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia to appear and file returns on the side of the law before the full bench of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Liberia, Temple of Justice on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, as to whether or not, the petitioner’s petition should be granted.”
It further said, “You are commanded to instruct the Minister of Justice and notify the reference members of the House of Representatives to file their official returns to this writ in the office of the clerk of this Honorable Court on or before the said 26th day of November 2024, have the House of Representatives to return to status quo ante and stay all proceedings or actions pending the determination of this matter.”
The writ was issued in response to a petition filed by Speaker Koffa and his allies, who challenged the constitutionality of actions taken by some members of the House of Representatives thereby raising serious constitutional questions about the legality of the consistent boycotts by the majority and their subsequent attempt to declare the Speaker’s seat vacant.
The Supreme Court then emphasized adherence to Article 33 of the Constitution, which governs quorum requirements for legislative actions.
Meanwhile, the full bench, comprised of Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh and Associate Justices Jamesetta I.L. Wolokolie, Yussif D. Kaba, Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr., and Ceaneh D. Clinton-Johnson, will hear the petition that is seeking to resolve the constitutional implications of the crisis and restore legislative stability, as the 2025 National Budget remains short-landed.
This writ underscores the Judiciary’s role as a critical arbiter in maintaining constitutional order amid political turbulence.
It can be recalled that the Supreme Court’s Justice in Chamber Gbeisay on Wednesday November 6, 2024, rejected to issues the Alternative Writ prayed by the Speaker’s legal team.
It reads, “By directive of his Honor Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Associate Justice presiding in Chambers, you are hereby informed that the Justice has declined to issue the writ prayed for.
Meanwhile, at the time, the Justice ruled saying the stay order of October 24, 2024, was lifted.
On Monday November 4, 2024, Justice Gbeisay heard arguments between the two groups and during the arguments, he questioned Cllr. Varney Sherman who is representing the majority why his clients have not returned to the main chambers of the House of Representatives to deliver their complaints so that the person they are having issue with would be requested to step aside yet they are staying away?
He clarified that his stay order issued didn’t prevent lawmakers from assembling to perform their functions but rather it is their illegal actions towards the removal process.
Cllr. Sherman denied that nothing has been done to remove the speaker because he was still enjoying his speakership under the law of the Republic of Liberia therefore informed the Justice that the petition filed by Speaker Koffa was pre-matured and as far as he is concerned, nothing had happened at the House of Representatives.
While Cllr. Syrenius Cephas and the former Associate Justice Kabineh J’aneh who represented Speaker Koffa contended that the lawmakers should give their client due process acknowledging that Article 49 gives them the right to elect and remove their speaker.
Article 49 states, “The House of Representative shall elect once every six years a Speaker who shall be the presiding officer of that body, a Deputy Speaker, and such other officers as shall ensure the proper functioning of the House. The speaker, the Deputy Speaker and other officers so elected may be removed from office for cause by resolution of a two-thirds majority of the members of the House.”
Following the arguments and the angry lawmakers returned only to suspend and remove other members within the Koffa’s rank from their lucrative positions and as if that was not enough, called a session and declared their speaker’s position vacant under the gavel of Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah thereby electing a new speaker under a highly unprecedented procedure.
Koffa and team again ran to the Supreme Court and this time, the Chamber’s Justice issued a stay order on every proceeding in the House of Representatives pending the outcome of tomorrow’s conference.
