PHOTO: Brownie Samukai’s supporters stormed out of the hall in protest
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
FOYA, Liberia- After an Information Ministry official made a pronouncement of President George Weah’s birthday celebrations slated for this Friday, October 1, 2021, supporters of embattled Lofa County Senator-elect, Brownie Samukai have staged a walk out of the Blyden forum being held by the Press Union of Liberia today, Wednesday.
Apparently angered by the pronouncement of MICAT Director of Public Affairs, Lawrence Fahnbulleh’s pronouncement the former Liberian Defense Minister Samukai’s supporters who were invited to the forum, marched out of the Tamba Lamie Taylor City Hall in protest.
They said they were taking the action on grounds that they have not come to listen to birthday message of President Weah, amid their dissatisfaction over the fact that their Senator-elect Samukai has not been certificated, something they said is impeding the work of the County.
In Monrovia, officials have said that President Weah is preparing a big celebration of his 55th birth anniversary this Friday, as his birthday posters have dominated billboards along the streets of the Liberian capital for several days.
On September 20, 2021, the Full Bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia today, Friday ruled that Brownie Samukai cannot be certificated by the National Elections Commission (NEC) as Senator-elect of Lofa County, unless and until he clears his “disability” in fulfillment of the court’s order.
Four of the five Justices on the bench granted the petition for Writ of Prohibition by the Ministry of Justice against Samukai’s certification but denied the one form Simeon Freeman’s MPC party, because they say he didn’t have standing.
Samukai, who ran on the opposition CPP ticket in the December 8, 2020 Special Senatorial election, was pronounced as the winner of the polls by NEC, but his certification has been challenged due to his conviction and sentencing by the Criminal Court “C” for corruption.
The Criminal Court ‘C’ on Tuesday March 24, 2020 found former Liberian Samukai and his deputies guilty of corruption, but Defense Lawyers took exception to the ruling and announced that they will file Appeal to the Supreme Court.
Mr. Samukai had been facing trial for misappropriating some US$1.3 million. His leadership of the Armed Forces of Liberia had received huge amounts for the AFL’s Compulsory Contributing Fund, which the Government of Liberia had sent to the Ecobank Liberia, Ltd. It included US460,000.00 in addition to US$687,656.35, making a total sum of US$1,147,665.35.
While on the stage, MICAT Director Fahnbulleh said that President Weah’s birthday will be celebrated on Friday October 1, 2021, but he (Pres. Weah) gave credence to the PUL’s anniversary, something that angered Samukai’s supporters in the hall, prompting them to begin chanting battle cry as they later hurriedly left the hall.
All of Smukai’s supporters, who were among audience, finally left the hall after fifteen minutes of heated confusion between them and some members of the PUL who were not pleased about the disruption of their program, which is being held to mark the Union’s 57th anniversary.
Meanwhile, the supporters of Senator-elect Samukai are expected to read a petition to the Press Union of Liberia during the ongoing celebrations in Liberia’s northwestern Lofa County.