PHOTO: Liberia’s Solicitor General, Cllr. Syrenius Cephas
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- There is growing speculation that the CDC led government is the alleged proud sponsor of the petition filed by the Movement for Progressive Change Party (MPC) Chairman O’Neil Paasewe at the Supreme Court of Liberia against senator elect Browne Samukai.
Liberia’s Solicitor General Syrenius Cephas has quickly come to the defense of the petition filed by the Movement of Progress Change Party chairman last Friday (March 5, 2021), praying that the Supreme Court to put stay order on the certification of opposition CPP Lofa County candidate and Senator-elect, Browne Samukai.
The MPC has since rubbished claims in some quarters that the CDC government of President George Manneh Weah has been bankrolling its lawsuit to stop former Defense Minister Samukai from taking his seat as Senator.
Cllr. Cephas, who is not part of the petition filed by the MPC, immediately after the conference hearing into writ of prohibition on Tuesday March 9, 2021, walked into the office of the Judicial reporters and said that the MPC is a political party duly registered under the law of Liberia with the right to petition the Supreme Court, if it feels dissatisfied with someone.
The Liberian Solicitor General’s defense came on the back of his accusation against former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Cllr. M. Wilkins Wrights of conflict of interest.
Cllr. Cephas told reporters at the Temple of Justice that Cllr. Wrights is involved with ethical transgression, whereby he is serving as lawyer for convict Browne Samukai at the same time representing the NEC.
This, the SG said the Republic of Liberia takes exception to it even though the Republic of Liberia is outside the case.
Cllr. Cephas then cited section 3.1, 3.2 of the News Election law which forbid a convicted criminal for occupying a public seat and section 50.12 of the Penal code of the Republic of Liberia.
According to the Liberia’s Chief Prosecutor, Article 21(j) of the 1986 constitution says one you serve your sentence and satisfy the penalty thereof, you rights can be restored.
But in the case of Browne Samukai, though the sentence is suspended, the penalty imposed has not been satisfied therefore, his rights are seized under the law, the Justice Ministry official said.
Cllr. Cephas explained that once the NEC appears at first respondent and Browne Samukai as second respondent, Cllr. Wrights is not qualify to make representation on behalf of the NEC something he described as ingregious abuse and ethical transgressions and the Republic of Liberia took exception to that.
At the writ of prohibition conference hearing, Cllr. Wrights appeared for NEC and Cllr. Wrights also heard and decided the Election dispute case of Lofa County at the NEC when he is at the same time representing Samukai, the Chief Prosecutor of Liberia stated.
However, the Solicitor General wants the ethics and grievance committee of the Liberian Judiciary to penalized Cllr. Wrights for ethical transgressions.
Despite he was not a party to the case, some citizens who went to listen to the conference in the Chambers Justice’s office, accused Cllr. Cephas of intimidating of his presence and position.
Meanwhile, the Chambers Justice Joseph N. Nagbe has agreed to issue the peremptory writ of prohibition thus putting stop to the certification of Browne Samukai by the NEC.
Justice Nagbe said he was convinced by what the petitioner’ said but those who went to listen to the matter accused him of being a CDC Justice of the Supreme Court Bench because usually when there is a case involving opposition, he always decides it with sentiment instead of legality.
Issuing the Peremptory writ is undoing what they all agreed upon by sending mandate to the NEC to execute what they were doing after the election dispute case was ruled in favor of Browne Samukai by the Supreme Court.
Justice Nagbe replaced former Associate Justice Philip Z. Banks of the Supreme Court of Liberia in 2018.