PHOTO: Capitol Building (above) and flashback of Brownie Samukai leaving the Criminal Court
The Liberian Senate has written the National Elections Commission (NEC) declaring with immediate effect one of the Senatorial seats in Lofa County vacant, a press release from the Senate says..
In a communication addressed to the Chairperson of the NEC, dated February 16, the Senate says predicated upon the final judgment of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia which arose from the bill of information proceedings, incapacitates Lofa County Senator-elect J. Brownie Samukai from serving as Senator from Lofa County.
The latest move by the Senate comes one week after a group of citizens from the north-western Lofa has written a communication to the Plenary of the Senate to declare the Senatorial seat of their County vacant reported by this news outlet from the Lofa County capital, Voinjama. Concerned Citizens From Lofa County Want Senate Seat Declared Vacant – News Public Trust
Former Defense Minister Samukai and his two former deputies were convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by the Criminal Court “C” for stealing well over one million US dollars welfare funds belonging to soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) during the government of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
On August 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.
Recently on January 27, 2022, the Supreme Court of Liberia revoked the two years suspended jail sentence by the lower court (Criminal Court “C”) for the former Defense Minister Samukai’s failure 50% of the money stolen.
According to a release from the Press and Public Affairs Department of the Senate on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, the Upper House decision is in consonance with Article 37 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, which provides that in the event of a vacancy in the Legislature, the Presiding officer of the Chamber in which the vacancy occurs shall, within thirty (30) days after such occurrence, notify the National Elections Commission thereof and the National Elections Commission shall not later than ninety (90) days thereafter cause a by-election to be held to fill the vacancy.
“The Presiding Officer would have me to formally notify you that a vacancy for a Senatorial seat for Lofa exists. Please accept, Madam Chairperson and Honorable Commissioners, the renewed assurances of my highest esteem and consideration,” says Senate Secretary J. Nanborlor F. Singbeh in his communication.