Police in Monrovia questioned Representative Candidate, Thomas Nemene Tweh, who was disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged public “disorder” and “obstructing free movement”, reported to have been carried out by him and his supporters last Friday, September 1.
He was summoned by the police to their headquarters where he was questioned for several hours for alleged “rudeness” by people considered to be his supporters, who went on a rampage in Electoral District #11, Montserrado County.
Public disorder or disturbances erupted in the district, upon hearing that Tweh had been disqualified by the Supreme Court from participating in the pending October 10 polls, thereby causing residents or perceived supporters going berserk, but it is not known whether properties were destroyed or not.
Also, the police have neither reported nor confirmed any arrest yet, with their only notable action being the summoning of the disqualified representative candidate (Tweh) to their headquarters for questioning.
Supreme Court ruling on Thursday, August 31 disqualified Tweh from contesting in the presidential and legislative polls, on grounds that his name is not recorded in the Liberia Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Service (LISGIS’s) database to have domicile or a resident in district #11, but more importantly, for being a foreigner, mainly an American (via dual citizenship).
The court, in its opinion, handed down by the Chief Justice, Sie-Nyene Yuoh, said that Tweh is not eligible to contest in the district in the October 10 polls. This followed when another Representative Candidate, Siah Tandapolie, complained to the National Elections Commission that Tweh is an American citizen who has not denounced one of its allegiances.
The matter went before the hearing officers of the commission and onward to the full body of NEC, where the hearing officers’ ruling was upheld, stating that NEC rules say only candidates, participating political parties, coalitions, and alliances, are competent to challenge nominees on the provisional list of the 2023 general
elections.
Meanwhile, Tweh says his lawyers have re-filed for the second hearing of the case that disqualified him by the Supreme Court, which reports say the court has accepted and shall hear the matter for the second time.
