MONROVIA, LIBERIA-The Presiding Justice in Chambers at the Supreme Court of Liberia has declined to issue the Writ of Prohibition as prayed for by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Cllr. Fonati Koffa’ legal team.
Associate Justice Yemie Gbeisay’s communication on Tuesday, November 5,2024, also lifted the stay order of October 25 placed on the process.
Earlier, Speaker Fonati Koffa’s legal team filed a Writ of Prohibition before Justice Gbeisay, with the aim of preventing the Majority Bloc from having sessions that he described as illegitimate.
For the past weeks, internal wranglings at the Lower House led some lawmakers to form the Majority Bloc with over forty lawmakers, while Speaker Koffa is yet to have a quorum with Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah joining his colleagues at the Majority Bloc to preside over session.
Declining to issue the writ means that the political battle at the House of Representatives continues for the removal of the Speaker, and will probably be given due process.
Meanwhile, the Presiding in Chambers has also declined to issue Writ of Prohibition as prayed for by the Unity Party (UP) Chairman and others that will prevent them from holding positions in Government.
UP Chairman, Dr. Luther Tarpeh, the Movement for Democracy and Reconstruction Chairman, Cllr. Cooper Kruah, the African Liberation League Chairman Kansualism Kansuah, and all Liberia Coalition Party Chairman, Atty. Ansu Dolley, have since been asked by the Office of the Ombudsman Chairperson, Cllr. Finley Karngar, to relinquish their parties’ positions or leave Government consistent with the Code of Conduct.
One of the petitioners’ lawyer Cllr. Othello Kruah on Tuesday, November 5,2024, confirmed that Associate Justice Yamie Gbeisay’s declined on their petition.
Cllr. Kruah revealed that they refiled an amended petition for the same writ, seeking for similar action against the Office of the Ombudsman Chairperson to prevent threats regarding the Code of Conduct.
ELBC Judicial Reporter said:” A couple of days from today, Justice Gbeisay is expected to cite the parties, together with their lawyers, for a legal conference before making any decision on the matter, as provided for by law.”
