PHOTO: Some of Samukai’s protesting supporters in Lofa County on Today
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Supporter of former Liberian Defense Minister, Brownie J. Samukai, who won last December Senatorial elections in Lofa County, but is yet to be certificated, on Thursday, July 29, 2021 staged demonstrations in the county’s capital, Voinjama, Zorzor as well as Foya District, his home town, demanding his immediate certification.
Lofa is situated over 361 kilometers northwest of the Liberian capital, Monrovia.
He ran on the ticket of the opposition Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), which includes former Vice President Joseph Boakai’s Unity Party, the Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP) and the All Liberian Party (ALP).
In Voinjama, angry protesters shut down government buildings using chains, the Administrative Building, which houses the offices of the County Superintendent and other local officials.
Recently, the full Bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia heard the appeal of indicted former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai against two petitions to stop him from being certificated by the National Elections Commission, after winning the most votes in last December’s Special Senatorial elections in Lofa County.
But the highest court in the country on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 reserved ruling into petitions for Writ of Prohibition filed both by the opposition Movement For Progressive Change (MPC) of Simeon Freeman and the Ministry of Justice to stop Samukai’s certification, because he was convicted by the Criminal Court of stealing AFL soldiers’ money while serving as Defense Minister.
(L-R) Samukai leaving the Temple of Justice last week, his protesting supporters chain Gov’t buildings in Lofa County this week
Speaking via mobile phone, one of the spokespersons for the pro-Samukai protesters in Zorzor, Alex Gbelee told www.newspublictrust.com earlier today that their protest is a wakeup call for the Liberian government through the Judiciary.
And they have given a one-week ultimatum to the Supreme Court of Liberia, which is currently hearing the Writ of Prohibition case against Samukai’s certification filed by the opposition Movement for Progressive Change (MPC) of Simeon Freeman and State Prosecutors at the Justice Ministry led by Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas.
Mr. Gbelee said in Zorzor, the protesters visited the police station, court house and the administrative compound, placing chains to the entrances, chanting their battle cries.
According to Mr. Gbelee, they are tired waiting if their senator is not certificated adding that the Supreme Court is holding their senator certification after hearing final argument.
Another image from Thursday’s pro-Samukai protest in Lofa
He added that if their Senator-elect is not certificated, they will take unpronounced actions.
Also in Foya, the administrative building and City Mayor’s office was also locked, but latest information gathered say that it has now been opened.
Background to Samukai’s case
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.
But the Lower Court, presided over by Judge Yamie Gbeisay, said there has not been sufficient evidence to convict the former Defense officials of the crimes of Money laundering and Economic Sabotage.
In its February 8, 2021 ruling upholding the lower court’s guilty verdict and sentencing, the Supreme Court said it is also the law extant in this jurisdiction that all public officials and employees shall obey all lawful instructions issued to them by their supervisors and shall declines to obey orders they know or ought to know to be wrong or unlawful.