-Sen Zargo claims CDC lawmakers diverting attention from economic hardships
By Alfred Kollie email: alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
The National Chairman of the Opposition Liberty Party (LP) and Senator of Lofa County Steve Jorgbor Hamadu Zargo has said the bill of impeachment against Supreme Court Justice Karbineh Ja’neh is an attempt to divert the attention of the Liberian people from the current economic problems.
LP is the party of Cllr. Charles Brumskine, the defeated Presidential candidate in Liberia’s 2017 election who challenged the results of the October first round of elections at the Supreme Court, but the Court dismissed his petition for a rerun.
Two Lawmakers from the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) Representatives Acarous Gray and Thomas Fallah Montserrado County districts #8 and #5 recently submitted the Bill of Impeachment against Justice Ja’neh at the House.
Rep Acarous Gray, CDC
The two CDC Lawmakers in the communication to House Speaker Bhofal Chambers, argued that Justice Ja’neh should be impeached, ousted and removed from the Supreme Court of Liberia.
“It is our hope and prayer that this Honorable Body will give this petition its utmost consideration in order to rid our judicial system of some of the most treacherous and fraudulent activities, most of which are perpetrated by, and credited to the likes of his Honor Justice Kabineh Mohammed Ja’neh,” the communication said.
“Finally we trust that your timely action in this matter will arrest the deterioration of the credibility of your judicial system, protect unsuspecting victims who have been constantly robbed and denied justice, and ultimately save the Liberian judiciary from massive corruption, misuse of public office and the abuse of power and discretion,” the 12-count Impeachment Bill said.
Reps Gray and Fallah alleged that Justice Ja’neh was involved in misconduct, abuse of public office, wanton abuse of judicial discretion, fraud, misuse of power and corruption.
But Senator Zargo, who is also National Chairman of the Opposition Liberty Party, said on Sunday that the Impeachment Bill comes at the time of a declining economy and efforts being made by serious-minded Liberians to revive it.
According to the opposition Senator this comes when ‘’our country cannot pay her levy at ECOWAS in furtherance of a common West African monetary union.’’
‘’My party, the Liberty Party see the CDC effort as a fruitless attempt and an attempt to divert our attention from the main problem the declining Liberian dollar on the one hand and age old witch hunt tactic usually designed by agents of the state to cow principle minded citizens in to blind submission,’’ the Liberty Party Senator noted.
Senator Zargo said Justice Ja’neh is one justice on the bench who sees the post as Associate Justice as a sacred responsibility to interpret constitutional matters with particular focus on protecting the state, rather than individuals.
‘’He strives to live above the fray, something that is very much in short supply in our nation today,’’ Senator Zargo pointed out.
‘’The two Representatives and the CDC have gone on sailing with state power on the back of a controversial election and in view of the many discredited governance styles they are introducing in governing system, it cannot be strange that a systematic elimination ploy of justices on the Bench such as the one being suggested by them, will surface,’’ Senator Zargo asserted.
The Lofa County senator observed that too many “make-up actions” are being pursued by the CDC government that could probably end up at the Supreme Court of Liberia.
He is however challenging Liberians and members of the Bench to be aware that if they are allowed to gather any grain of salt, adding that the alleged plot by the two CDC Lawmakers will not stop at Justice Ja’neh alone.
‘’It will be in the best interest of the CDC-led government to have the Bench infested with submissive partisans, now we can say our democracy is under threat,’’ the Liberty Party National Chairman and Senator said.
Under Article 43 of Liberia’s 1986 Constitution, the House of Representatives has the power to prepare a bill of impeachment.
Man-made vices and Liberia’s backwardness
Meanwhile, Senator Steve Zargo has attributed the continuous backwardness of Liberia to man- made vices.
Senator Zargo named some of the vices as corruption, nepotism, marginalization, tribalism, bad governance and the lack of love for the nation something he said is affecting society.
He said these societal ills in both the public and private sectors are the causes that have, over the years, undermined development in Liberia.
Senator Zargo warned that if Liberia is to move forward, the youthful population must reshape their minds set toward their country.