As Head Of The War And Economic Crimes Court Office
PHOTO: (L-R) Counsellors Alloysius Toe and Amara Sheriff
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Two members of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) have spoken out strongly in favour of the nomination of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi as Executive Director of the War and Economic Crimes Court office of Liberia.
In separate position statements to the media, Cllr. Amara Sheriff and Cllr. Alloysius Toe said they disagree with rejection by some institutions and individuals to President Joseph Boakai’s nomination of Cllr. Massaquoi to the post.
An astute lawyer and one of those who represented former Associate Justice Kabeneh Ja’neh Cllr Amara Sheriff said that Cllr. Massaquoi is only the administrative head not the chief prosecutor.
The CSO are accusing Cllr. Massaquoi of defending former President Charles Taylor wife Agnes Taylor during her trail
But in an interview with Judicial Reporters at the Temple of Justice in Monrovia recently, Cllr. Sheriff Cllr. Massaquoi “is is a lawyer of integrity and also of principles and not a prosecutor”.
At the same time, Cllr. Sheriff also lauded President Joseph Nyumah Boakai for nominating Judge Cianneh Clinton Johnson as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
According to him, Judge Clinton Johnson is a professional lawyer who has displayed a professionalism throughout her judgeship.
“Not many females have served on the Supreme Court Bench since its existence,” Cllr. Sheriff noted.
“Gender does not determine the performance of an individual” but what the individual can do according to his/her duty or term of reference,” Cllr. Sheriff indicated.
Cllr. Alloysius Toe’s backs Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi’s nomination to head WECC
In a press statement issued in Monrovia this week, Cllr. Alloysius Toe said: “It is utterly ironic that his former human rights colleagues, seeking to protect human rights legacy, would at the same time blatantly undertake and seek to violate the fundamental rights of Cllr. Massaquio, without due process of law. (SEE FULL TEXT OF CLLR. TOE’S PRESS STATEMENT BELOW)
Monrovia, Liberia, June 24, 2024: Cllr. Aloysius Toe, the Executive Director of the Public Interest Law and Advocacy Center (PILAC), welcomes and hails President Joseph Nyumah Boakai for the appointment of Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi as Executive Director of the Secretariat for the Establishment of the War and Economic Crimes Court in Liberia.
Cllr. Massaquoi possesses the requisite skills, moral rectitude, human rights records, as evidenced by his legal defense of many indigent clients and political activists who faced prosecution and persecution from past governments. He also possesses the legal experience and knowledge to serve his country in such position, as Executive Director. Both Cllr. Massaquoi and I provided legal representation for political commentator, Henry Costa, when he was persecuted by the CDC government under a bogus defamation suit; and both Cllr. Massaquoi and I were legal counsels of records in the case against former Chief Justice, Cllr. Gloria Musu Scott. I do believe and trust that Cllr. Massaquoi will make the country proud in his new role.
Cllr. Toe says he disagrees with and rejects the argument of his former colleagues in the human rights community, objecting to and criticizing the appointment of Cllr. Massaquio, simply because Cllr. Massaquio provided legal presentation for Mrs. Agnes Taylor and others. Toe wonders and says it is utterly ironic that his former human rights colleagues, seeking to protect human rights legacy, would at the same time blatantly undertake and seek to violate the fundamental rights of Cllr. Massaquio, without due process of law. It is common knowledge that Chapter III, Fundamental Rights of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia, provides under Article 18 that Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, like “[a]ll Liberian citizens shall have equal opportunity for work and employment regardless of sex, creed, religion, ethnic background, place of origin or political affiliation, and all shall be entitled to equal pay for equal work.” Emphasis ours. Calling for the de-appointment of Cllr. Massaquio, without any proof of his commission of a crime or ethical breach is, at best, a violation of his rights, and at worst, a misguided witch-hunt.
Moreover, it is unforgivable that human rights advocates would premise their objection to Cllr. Massaquio’s nomination merely because he provided legal representation to individuals alleged to be involved in the Liberian civil crises. Cllr. Toe wishes to remind his former human rights colleagues that Cllr. Massaquio’s representation of any person, regardless of the allegations against the person, is protected under Article 21 (i) of the 1986 Liberian Constitution, which provides that “… no lawyer shall be prevented from or punished for providing legal services, regardless of the charges against or the guilt of his client…” Toe wonders how our human rights advocates would grossly seek to violate the Constitution of our land, by their advocacy.
Toe is calling on human rights activists to refrain and desist from objecting to the appointment of lawyers in government, merely because they provided legal representation for accused individuals, most especially where the lawyer has not participated in the commission of a crime or committed ethical breach.
Toe says, he would like to refresh the memory and recollection of our human rights brothers and sisters, that the current Chairman of the Independent National Commission on Human Rights, Cllr. Dempster Browne, provided legal representation for the late General Charles Julu in a Treason Trial, during the presidency of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Although it is a known fact that General Julu was accused of committing egregious crimes during the Liberian Civil War, Cllr. Brown still represented him when Julu’s rights were under attack by the Government. Today, Cllr. Brown is heading the highest human rights office in the land with distinction and dedication, because there is no moral or legal bar to his chairmanship, simply because he represented a client accused of committing crimes.
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says, as the progenitor and one of the founders of the Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG); as one of the architects and visible advocates for the passage of the TRC Act, and the establishment of the former TRC as well as the implementation of its findings; as former national coordinator of the International Campaign Against Impunity (an international network of civil society organizations in 169 countries); as former human rights activist, whose fearless and uncompromising human rights work landed him in prison for eight months on bogus Treason charges; as former renown, vocal and highly visible former human rights campaigner – with international distinction – who became the second and only Liberian to have won the prestigious Reebok International Human Award in 2005 in the United States; and declared a Prisoner-of-Conscience in 2005 by the London-based Amnesty International, Toe says he has earned the right and he possesses the human rights authority to speak on this subject.
Signed:___________________________
Cllr. Aloysius Toe
Executive Director
Tel:+231777937164