Justice Min. Cllr. Frank Musa Dean Nominated For Senate Confirmation
PHOTO: Nominated Associate Justice Cllr. Dean
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- It all happened so quickly.
Not too long after information began to linger in the corridor of the Supreme Court that Associate Justice Joseph N. Nagbe has written the office of the Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh for early retirement, then official announcement came from the Executive Mansion that President George Manneh Weah has nominated his replacement.
Justice Nagbe has been being out for more than four term of Court due to his prolonged illness.
Prior to the retirement of the former Chief Justice Francis S. Korkpor, Justice Nagbe has been off and on in sickness from work at the Supreme Court and he has been seeking medical treatment in Ghana.
Justice Nagbe was seen at the seating ceremony of the Current Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh on October 10,2022, he has been been at work due to his illness and he has since in Ghana for medical treatment.
Justice Nagbe was appointed in 2018 as a sitting Senator of Sinoe County by President Weah on the Supreme Court Bench but he has not been well since he took that position.
Article 71 of the Liberian Constitution says:
The Chief Justice and Associates Justices of the Supreme Court and the judges of subordinate courts of record shall hold office during good behavior. They may be removed upon impeachment and conviction by the Legislature based on proved misconduct, gross breach of duty, inability to perform the functions of their office, or conviction in a court of law for treason, bribery or other infamous.
Not too long after news of the early retirement broke, the Executive Mansion published the following press release on its website, announcing President Weah’s nomination of Justice Minister, Cllr. Frank Musa Dean as Associate Justice forwarding his name to the Liberian Senate for confirmation.
FULL TEXT BELOW:
President Weah Grants Associate Justice Nagbe Early Retirement Request; Nominates Justice Minister As Replacement
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2023
Monrovia, Liberia – His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah has received and granted a request from Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia, His Honor Joseph N. Nagbe for an early retirement due to ill-health.
Associate Justice Nagbe, an astute lawyer and politician, was nominated by President Weah and confirmed by the Liberia Senate August 2018 replacing retired Associate Justice, His Honor Philip A Z Banks.
Prior to his ascendancy to the Bench of the Supreme Court, Associate Justice Nagbe served as senior Senator of Sinoe County at the 54th National Legislature.
In his acceptance of the resignation of the venerable jurist, His Excellency Dr. George Manneh Weah, President of the Republic of Liberia, expressed his unfeigned thanks and appreciation for the services of Associate Nagbe. He said it was his fervent prayer that the Almighty God would grant the ailing jurist his healing powers as he is on the path of recovery.
Meanwhile, President Weah has nominated Counselor Frank Musah Dean Jr., to replace Associate Justice Nagbe pending confirmation by the Liberian Senate.
In nominating Cllr. Dean to the Supreme Court Bench, the Liberian Leader said he harbor no doubt in the ability of the Attorney General to perform as expected of a high court jurist. He said Cllr. Dean has demonstrated a high degree of professionalism not just in the execution of his duties as Minister of Justice but also earned the respect of his peers over the years as an astute lawyer.
Cllr Dean is currently the Minister of Justice and Dean of the Supreme Court Bar-these positions he has held since assuming the Office of the Minister of Justice in 2018.
Cllr. Frank Musa Dean Jr., a renowned Liberian legal luminary, joined the Bar in 1992, and has since been an outstanding member of the Supreme Bar for more than three decades.He is the founder of the renowned Law Office of Dean & Associates.