Liberia: Supreme Court Reserves Ruling in House Management Dispute Case

The Supreme Court of Liberia has reserved its ruling within the ongoing management dispute inside the House of Representatives after listening to arguments from each events on Wednesday.

By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.Koinyeneh@frontpage

Lawyers representing the pro-Koffa group, led by Cllr. Arthur Johnson, and people advocating for the Majority Bloc, headed by Cllr. Varney Sherman, introduced their circumstances earlier than the complete bench of the Supreme Court, presided over by Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh.

The dispute intensified when a bunch of lawmakers below the banner “Majority Bloc” declared the Speaker’s seat vacant and elected Representative Richard Koon (UP, District #11, Montserrado County) as Speaker. The bloc additionally dissolved all committees established by Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and reconstituted them. Additionally, the Majority Bloc had earlier suspended three lawmakers—Representative Marvin Cole (District #3, Bong County), Representative Edward P. Flomo (District #13, Montserrado County), and Representative Abu Bana Kamara (District #15, Montserrado County)—for allegedly violating House guidelines.

In response, Speaker Koffa and his supporters filed a grievance with the Supreme Court, arguing that the Majority Bloc’s actions had been unconstitutional. The Supreme Court subsequently issued a keep order on the actions of the bloc and scheduled the case for a listening to.

Following Wednesday’s proceedings, the Court introduced that it could reserve its ruling on the matter, leaving the decision of the management disaster pending.