By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- The Supreme Court of Liberia on Thursday, August 25, 2021 ruled that that National Bar Association of Liberia (LNBA) has no legal power to permanently bar the controversial former head of the LACC, Cllr, Austin Nbubusi Nwabudike, only the highest court in the land.
The action of the LNBA to expel Nwabudike from the Bar “is tantamount to disbarment, a penalty that can only be imposed by the Supreme Court” through its Grievance and Ethics Committee, the Supreme Court said in its ruling.
In the wake of the intense public pressure for his removal from the post of Chairperson of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC), he was forced to resign his post earlier this year.
Nwabudike is being suspended in the meantime, as the Supreme Court has ordered the Justice Ministry to investigate the authenticity of his Liberian citizenship.
Acknowledging that Nwabudike had given conflicting information on his citizenship status earlier, the Supreme Court ruling said: “That the respondent violated Rules 24 & 29 (3) of the Moral and Ethical Conduct of Lawyers when he gave conflicting and inconsistent information especially his age and name.”
For this, the Supreme Court said: “That the Attorney General/Minister of Justice is to conclude this matter in six (6) months and inform the court of the action taken in the premises.”
LNBA reason for expelling Nwabudike
His expulsion came many months ago.
Speaking at a major press conference at it’s headquarters in Monrovia, the LNBA president Cllr. Tiawon S. Gongloe said, the doubt raised by the Senate over the citizenship of Cllr. Nwabudike by extension, cast a very dark cloud over the integrity and credibility of the Liberian national Bar Association and judiciary in evaluating applicants for admission into the legal profession.
Cllr. Gongloe revealed that the LNBA felt duty bound to investigate and find out what the truth is relative to Cllr. Nwabudike’s Liberian citizenship.
Based upon his failure to defend his citizenship, the national executive council of the LNBA met and mandated the president of the Liberian national Bar Association to instruct the Grievance and ethics committee to launch a full scale investigation into his nationality.
LNBA emphasized that the legal profession is unique among the professions in Liberia because it is the only profession that is given protection by the Constitution of Liberia according to Article 21(I) of the Liberian Constitution which provides, there shall be absolute immunity from any government sanctions or interference in the performance of legal services as a counselor or advocate.
His 2004 Liberian passport carried his date of birth as October 2, 1963 and his name as A. Nkwuka Ndubusi Nwabudike instead of the name that appears on the roster of the LNBA and Supreme court Bar which is A. Ndubusi Nwabudike; His Liberian National Identification Card carried A. Ndubusi Nkwuka Nwabudike and his application for marriage certificate dated January 22,1992, filed by himself in handwriting carried his name as A. Ndubusi Nwabudike and his date of birth as October 19,1960 along his nationality as Nigerian.
Thursday’s Ruling screenshot
SUPREME COURT RULING:
