Says: ‘Election disputes Based on Speculation will be rejected,’
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- “As the General Elections draw closer, let it be known that this Bench will only be moved by strong and convincing evidence and not political ideologies,” said Liberia’s Supreme Court Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh as she opened the March Term of Court on Monday, some 8 months to presidential and legislative election.
At the ceremony attended by President George Manneh Weah, top government officials, lawyers and foreign diplomats, Chief Justice Yuoh vowed to reject any election disputes cases that are not backed by evidence but mere allegations, speculations and hear say.
Pres. George Weah seated at the Supreme Court
Speaking on March 13, 2023, Liberia’s second female Chief Justice declared that the highest court in the land is well fortified and judicially poised to hear and dispose of all elections disputes, regardless of the magnitude or underlying currents or those involved.
According to Justice Yuoh, her administration has resolved to dispense justice evenly without fear or favour parties adding that the Judiciary Branch is prepared to handle any election case that may arise before and after the General and Presidential Elections in the country.
“The law makes no distinction between men when before it; the high and low here are both on an equal level,” the Chief Justice revealed.
At her sitting ceremony on October 10,2022, the Chief Justice Sie-A- Yuoh pledged her commitment to upholding the constitution of Liberia in dispensing Justice, regardless of the persons involved.
She furthered that the Supreme court under her gabble will strive not to bow down to any other power that be, adding that she owes her allegiance to God, the written law in upholding Constitutional principles of due process that is guaranteed to all citizens and residents of Liberia without fear and favor, and according to her conscious.
In her two-hour speech delivered at the Supreme Court opening, Justice Yuoh revealed that the court term is important to the Judiciary as it marks the peculiar silence and equanimity that comes before the storm of the electioneering period.
Members of the Supreme Court Bar
“It is an undeniable fact that our election calendar are the most tumultuous and tedious times in the history of the Supreme court,” the Chief Justice noted.
Currently, there are cases brewing and gathering at the National Elections Commission between political parties with the recent involving the Liberty Party’s twin factions. Party litigants, political parties, and independent candidates have been cautioned to safeguard themselves.
The head of the Liberian Judiciary said they should political parties and candidates should begin finding lawyers who knows how to represent their legal interests in line with the laws that governs the ethics of the Judiciary and she will not hesitate to throw cases out that no merit.
The Librarian Chief Justice called out all political parties that the Supreme Court will only be moved by evidence based cases not on the basis of ideology and the recently created political strongholds.
The Supreme Court has consistently held that the concept of a candidate claiming ‘stronghold ‘over a particular election geographical locale has no factual or legal basis in judicial proceedings, the Chief Justice had said.
Among other things, Justice Yuoh said, the concept of political parties calming what they termed as strong hold has no legal basis, as it is completely doubtful, uncertain and speculative.
“It is completely doubtful, uncertain, and speculative in that only the electorate via their valid votes cast can determine whether or not a candidate is widely influential within a particular locale,” she noted.