-Could businesswomen money issue stop Judge Kaba’s confirmation?
By Mark N. Mengonfia – mmenginfia@gmail.com
Amidst huge public interest in Monday’s confirmation hearing of the judge Yussif Kaba for Associate Justice to replace impeached Justice Kabineh Ja’neh, past ethical/legal misconduct haunts the long-serving Circuit Court Judge.
Although the hearing was delayed for about 25 minutes on April 8, 2019, he later entered the chambers of the Liberian Senate at the Capitol Building in Monrovia by 2:25Pm GMT dressed in a black coat, white shirt with brown tie.
Admitting that the Supreme Court some time ago had suspended him for ethical reasons, the nominee outlined reasons why he should be confirmed by that body followed by cross-examination of questions and answers from members of the Senate Committee on Judiciary.
At first, the nominee was relaxed when he was receiving commendations from senators, but it got a bit serious when two out of the nine (9) senators who presided over the confirmation hearing started to quiz him on issues relating to his pass life.
Senator Oscar Cooper of Margibi County asked the Associate Justice designate about his involvement with some money problem concerning marketers in the 1990s.
In response to the senator’s question, the nominee said in 1994, he established a savings club and money exchange business, which aided marketers with their savings during those years.
According to him, the business he operated went well when the bank they were during the business with closed.
“After that, I was able to struggle and reestablish the business”.
He indicated that after the business broke down and he fought and resuscitated it, they decided this time not to carry their saving to any bank, but save it in their home.
The nominee said that they managed with the business for many years, but indicated that during the April 6 war, all of their saving again went away due to the war.
When he was asked if they has settle everyone, the nominated Associate Justice of the Supreme Court said: “I am not sure that those who were part of the saving club are around , but those who were around I have settle them and if anyone who was part of the club come with their claim, I will settle.”
When he was asked about the issue of his suspension from practicing law for unwholesome act, the judge answered in affirmative, but he was quick to say that he was only suspended for one month.
According to information, the judge was suspended for the period of six month contrary to the one month he told the senators about.
He indicated that he was suspended without due process, he was not heard.
He justified that the Supreme Court disagreed with him based on the decision made during a judiciary process.
He added that if or not he agreed, once the S/Court made the pronouncement, it was the final.
Senator Joseph asked what would he has done were he to precede over the issue of the Road Fund
During the hearing, Senators Oscar Copper and Saah Joseph of Margibi and Montserrado Counties respectively asked questions relating to the just ended impeachment process of former Associate Justice Ja’neh, the acting head of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Bomi County Senator Morris Seytumah disallowed the nominee to respond to any question relating to impeachment.
Another question which was asked by Senator Cooper was: if he (nominee) can be held responsible for his opinions expressed during legal processes, this question was overruled again by the preceding officer.
Prior to his nomination last week by President George Weah, Judge Kaba had served as Civil Law Court Judge at the Temple of Justice and Vice President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria representing Liberia.