By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Monrovia, Liberia- An air of uneasiness is brewing within the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) over the situation regarding the fate of Cllr. Jonathan T. Massaquoi who was initially nominated as Executive Director of the War and Economic Crimes Court office (WECC).
Some members of the LNBA have accused some of the Bar’s executives, both present and past leaders, who were among other human rights organizations whose campaign led President Joseph Boakai to replace Cllr. Massaquoi, something they described as a betrayal and a sad ending for the association.
Cllr. Massaquoi, a member of the LNBA, was nominated by President Boakai as Executive Director of the WECC Office earlier this year.
But as few months after, his own professional institution joined several other civil society organizations to call for his removal on ground that the president did not consult with them prior to making the nomination for one of their own members.
The action causing deep disappointment within the organization, who viewed his decision as a betrayal of their long-standing Democratic values. Cllr. Sylvester Rennie cited concerns over free speech, the Ukraine conflict, and perceived threats to children as reasons for his break from the Democratic Party.
His professional legal family publicly condemned his endorsement, reaffirming their support for the Democratic ticket.
Was the WECC Executive Director actually Betrayed by LNBA?
Some members of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) expressed deep disappointment after their leadership publicly endorsed a campaign that led to President Joseph Boakai withdrawing his nomination.
The criticism of the stance comes after President Boakai decided to replace Massaquoi, which they viewed as a “betrayal” of the association principles and values, and a fraternity, to support its member.
In order to prevent Cllr. Massaquoi from serving the position as an Executive Director, Cllr. Sylvester Rennie, President of the LNBA claimed that President Boakai has broken decades-long tradition in the Judiciary by appointing officials, including Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi without vetting by the Bar.
Cllr. Rennie said that his organization was not consulted in the executive order or the appointment of Cllr. Massaquoi. The LNBA president noted the Bar’s exclusion is a major blunder and a dramatic departure from the long history of the executive branch consulting the Liberian legal community on judicial matters.
“The tradition is that, where there are positions within the judicial sector, or the justice sector, the Bar is normally consulted to conduct a vetting process because we know our lawyers,” Cllr. Rennie said, although Cllr. Massaquoi is a lawyer and a member of association.
But Cllr. Rennie went further to say, “We know their capacities. We do the vetting and then send a short listing to you.“ Even though the 1986 Constitution gives Boakai the responsibility to make nomination, as his will and pressure, Rennie said, it was the Bar that drafted the bill to establish the courts and presented it to the Legislature in 2021.
“The Bar’s role has not changed in its quest for the formation of war and economic crimes courts for Liberia,” Mr. Rennie said. “The Bar will work with all lawyers. But the Bar remains an organization that respects itself and must be respected by every other person like how our international partners respect us.”
Another past President Cllr. Tiawan S. Gongloe said, condemn the process to appoint Cllr. Massaquoi. “There should have been wider consultations with the civil society, victims and the Bar,” said Cllr. Gongloe, referring to the National Bar Association.
“It is the first time in our history that we have done this so it really matters. It has nothing to do with presidential authority or his qualifications. We require support of the wider society. Conversation with civil society was not done. It’s shocking. In the end it’s the victims who need to feel closure on this.”
Cllr. Gongloe said he was concerned that unless the appointment was embraced by victims it could sow seeds of conflict in years to come. Rennie and Gongloe gave number of reasons for their involvement with the campaign to replace Cllr. Massaquoi, including worries about his representation of Agnes Taylor, wife of convicted former Liberian President Charles Taylor and other actors of war/economic crimes in Liberia.
The aggrieved members denounced Rennie and Gongloe’s action, describing it as a “betrayal” and deviating far from the “core values” the association was raised with.
They declared that the association had “dramatically changed” and accused it of no longer being “champions of the constitution.” Meanwhile, unconfirmed report has it that the LNBA initially lobbied with President Joseph Boakai to nominate its National Secretary General, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah.