As Full Bench Of The Supreme Court Hears Embattled Speaker Kofa’s Bill Of Information Petition
High Court Reserved Ruling For A Later Date
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- During a heated argument into the Bill of Information filed by the embattled Speaker J. Fonati Kofa, The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh today, Wednesday, March 26, 2025 told the “Majority bloc” lead lawyer, Cllr. H. Varney Sherman that “even his clients are one hundred in number, they don’t have the right to impose themselves as majority bloc.”
On December 6,2024, the High court ruled and left everyone confused as to who the ruling favor or not.
Days after this ruling by the highest court in the land, J. Fonati Kofa embattled Speaker filed a bill of information accusing the majority bloc and the Justice Minister and Attorney General of outside the court ruling. THE DIE IS CAST: Supreme Court Sets This Wednesday To Hear Kofa Bill Of Information – News Public Trust
“Though the speaker is without a quorum, that doesn’t give you the right to put yourself as Majority Bloc, even if you’re 100,” the Liberian Chief Justice stated during the hearing of Kofa’s Bill of Information petition on Wednesday.
“Why you went and designated another speaker when you have a speaker? Justice Yuoh asked Cllr. Sherman, who is one of Liberia prominent lawyers and former Senator of Grand Cape Mount County.
Cllr. Sherman responding to Chief Justice Yuoh said, the Speaker was sittting in his office while those meetings were done in the presence of the deputy speaker.
“Does the law say that a group of people or lawmakers can go and conduct a session in another area” where the speaker is around and calling them for a session?
Inquiring further, Justice Yuoh again questioned Cllr. Sherman about how the voting of the majority bloc speaker took place?
Justice Yuoh also questioned one of the minority bloc lawyers, Cllr. Arthur T. Johnson state which part of the Supreme Court December 6,2024 ruling was violated by the majority bloc lawmakers? But Cllr. Johnson responded and said, the majority bloc lawmakers are yielding the Supreme Court because they are conducting session while the embattled speaker is still the legimate speaker.
She clarified that the Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Republic of Liberia has the authority to interpret the rulings or opinions of the Supreme Court to his boss contrary to what many said that Justice Minister was wrong to interpret the Supreme Court ruling into the In-Re petition against the unconstitutionality of certain lawmakers’ actions.
Questioning Cllr. Arthur Johnson, where is the authority to stop the majority from doing what they are doing? She narrated that legislature hasn’t make any law to compel majority to attend any session.
What is the office of the Bill of Information? Chief Justice Yuoh questioned minority bloc lawyer
BILL OF INFORMATION
According to the Revised Rules of the Supreme Court, A Bill of Information will lie to prevent a Judge or any Judicial Officer who attempts to execute
the mandate of the Supreme Court in an improper manner from doing so. A Bill of Information
will also lie to prevent anyone whomsoever from interfering with the Judgment and/or
Mandate of the Supreme Court. The Bill of Information shall be venued before the Court en
banc and shall be filed with the Clerk of Court. The approval of the Chief Justice or an Associate
Justice shall not be required prior to the filing thereof. Once a Bill of Information shall have
been filed, it shall be governed by the procedures outlined in these Rules and the Civil
“We must learn to follow rules, constitutions, and guidelines set for an institution,” Justice Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie told Cllr. Sherman.
“They have not properly removed the speaker” she added.
Justice Wolokolie said, our rules are very important to avoid chaos adding that the constitution gives the lawmakers to elect and remove speaker, but the procedure should be followed.
Justice Kaba said, the speaker should be accorded due process. According to him, in a parliamentary governance system, vote of no confidence can remove a speaker but in our governance system, ⅔ majority should remove a speaker but not where the speaker is sitting then another group to create a parallel group to cause chaos.
“We understand that majority elected the speaker but there is procedure provided by laws” Justice Kaba told majority bloc lawyer.
“Follow the procedure even though the majority have the power or authority to remove their speaker” but let the procedure be followed.
Meanwhile, the court reserved ruling into the matter for later date.