PHOTO: Newly confirmed Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Despite five Senators voting against her nomination, the majority of the 30-member Liberian Senate have voted to confirm Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh as Liberia’s next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to replace Chief Justice Francis Korkpor who has reached the age of retirement is set to resign in September.
Justice Yuoh, who will be Liberia’s 3rd woman Chief Justice, was nominated by President George Manneh Weah over one week ago.
Four oppositions Senators from the Liberty Party and and one from the ruling party, CDC voted against the confirmation of now confirmed female Chief Justice Yuoh for reasons best known to themselves.
Her independence at the Judiciary was questioned by Lofa County Senator Steve Zargo why she ruled the way she ruled in the Liberty Party vs Musa Bility case. But she quoted Article 73 of the Liberian constitution which reserves her rights.
This question asked by Sen. Zargo was followed up by Montserrado County Sen. Dillion, who referred the now confirmed Chief Justice Yuoh back to the Impeachment proceedings against former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh, in which a decision was rendered by all of them.
But yet Justice Yuoh voted against former Justice Ja’neh but she said he reserved her rights citing Article 73 of the Liberian Constitution.
Impeached Kabineh Ja’neh
Article 73 Liberian Constitution:
“No judicial of official shall be summoned, arrested, detained, prosecuted or tried civilly or criminally by or at the instance of any person or authority on account of judicial opinions rendered or expressed, judicial statements made and judicial acts done in the course of a trial in open court or in chambers, except for treason or other felonies, misdemeanor or Protection of judges’ salaries Mandatory retirement age for judges.”
Senators who rejected the nomination of Justice Yuoh are Abraham Darius Dillon of Montserrado County (LP), Jonathan Kaipay and Nyonblee Kangar Lawrence of Grand Bassa County (LP), Steve Zargo of Lofa County (LP) and Zoe Emmanuel Pennue of the ruling CDC.
Justice Yuoh is the former wife of Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe who is said to have politically influenced her nomination due to his proximity to the President, some Lawmakers and others believe within the corridor of the Capitol Building.
With Justice Youh to head Supreme Court, 4 of Liberia’s 5 top officials in line of succession are southeasterners
Hailing from Maryland County in Southeastern Liberia, Justice Yuoh’s elevation as Chief Justice now completes the cycle of geographical domination by officials hailing from the southeastern region of Liberia.
Four of the five top five Liberian government officials in the constitutional line of succession come from the southeast—President Weah, Speaker Bohfal Chambers, Deputy Speaker Fonati Koffa, and Senate President Pro Tempore Albert Chieh.
Justice Yuoh was appointed on August 23,2022 by President Weah to head the Liberian Judiciary as Chie Francis S. Korkpor retires on September 5,2022.
After appointment by the Liberian leader, said communication was sent to the Liberian Senate for confirmation and said confirmation began on August 25-29,2022 followed by her confirmation today August 30,2022 by majority members of the Liberian senate.
On March 29,2019, former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh was illegally impeached by majority votes of the Liberian senate on accusations of official misconduct and for granting a Writ of Prohibition petitioned by petroleum dealers in the country to stop the government from collecting levy/taxes of US$0.25 (road fund) imposed on the pump price of petroleum products.
Profile of Justice Yuoh
Her Honor Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh was born in Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia. She obtained her high school education and diploma from the St. Teresa’s Convent, a Catholic High School in Monrovia in 1974, thereafter which, she enrolled at the Cuttington University College (CUC), now Cuttington University (CU), in Suakoko, Bong County, in pursuit of her tertiary education where she graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Political Science.
In 1979, Justice Yuoh enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, where she was trained as a lawyer. In 1981, she successfully completed her law studies at this institution and obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and was subsequently admitted into the Liberia National Bar Association as an Attorney-At-Law. Her Honor was also admitted as Counsellor-At-Law of the Supreme Court Bar in 1988.
PUBLIC & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Associate Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh began her public and professional service within the Executive Branch, Republic of Liberia, first at the Ministry of Justice as an Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs from 1983 – 1985, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Coordinator, African Affairs, 1988 – 1990, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) as Corporate Secretary/Assistant Legal Counsel/Secretary, Board of Governors of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) from 2000 – 2003 and lastly at the Law Reform Commission, where she served as Acting Executive Director and Commissioner respectively from July 2011 – April 2013.
Justice Yuoh also extended her professional legal services within the private sector where she served as Associate and Legal Counsel at the David A.B. Jallah Law Firm, on Johnson Street, Monrovia Liberia, from 1994 – 2000.
In 2013, Madam Justice Yuoh, was nominated, appointed and subsequently commissioned as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
PROFESSIONAL & SOCIAL AFFILIATION
Madam Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh has proudly served as Vice President of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) from 1994 – 1998; was a founding member of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) and served as its 1st Vice President from 1997 – 1998; Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) from 2012 – 2013 and also served as President of the Maryland County Local Bar Association in 2013.
Her Honor, Justice Yuoh is married, and she and her husband, are blessed with ten (10) children and two (2) grandchildren.