House Parties Face off Before High Court -Ruling in Speaker Prohibition Writ Withheld for Unspecified Date

MONROVIA – Finally, belligerent parties at the House of Representatives of the 55^th National Legislature embroiled in political crisis – something leading to the virtual shutdown of legislative business as they tussle for supremacy – did appear before the Supreme Court Monday. And there was legal firefight of epic proportion as some of Liberia’s fiery lawyers representing the protagonists clashed. They were all at their best, and the appreciation for the “rule of law” as cornerstone for peace and democracy in the country had an expression at the conference of parties before Justice in Chambers Yamie Gbeisay. The conference was convened at the behest of House Speaker Fonati Koffa who pleaded for a writ of prohibition being under existential rebellion from his colleagues.

The Supreme Court of Liberia through its Justice in Chambers Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay is expected to rule in the case between House speaker Fonati Kofa and the 43 lawmakers on Capitol Hill by either issuing an Alternative writ or decline.

The Monday November 4, 2024 conference was to give hearing to the parties. Justice Gbeisay heard the arguments between the legal team of Speaker Fonati Koffa headed by former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh and Cllr. Cyrenius Cephas and the Anti-Koffa bloc represented by former Senator Cllr Varney Sherman in order to make an informed decision.

During the arguments, Justice Gbeisay questioned Cllr. Varney Sherman who was representing the Anti-Koffa bloc why not his clients return to the main chambers of the House of Representatives and deliver their complaints rather than staying away.

Justice Gbeisay at the same time clarified that his stay order issued didn’t prevent lawmakers from assembling from performing their functions but rather it’s their illegal actions toward the removal process.

In his argument, Cllr. Varney Sherman denied that nothing has been done to remove the speaker because he’s still enjoying his speakership under the law of the Republic of Liberia.

Stating, as far as he’s concerned, nothing is happening at the House of Representatives.

Cllr. Sherman sated that without formal proceedings, Speaker Koffa retains his position, making it premature for him to seek a prohibition against his colleagues.

Meanwhile, the Speaker’s legal team in their argument refuted Sherman’s claim, contending that no formal complaint had been submitted and that only signatures had been gathered to advance the Speaker’s removal.

Cllr. Syrennius Cephas and former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh of the Koffa legal team argued for due process in line with Article 49 of the 1986 Constitution.

According article 49 of the 1986 constitution of the Republic of Liberia, the House of Representative shall elect once every six years a Speaker who shall be the presiding officer of that body, a Deputy Speaker, and such other officers as shall ensure the proper functioning of the House. The speaker, the Deputy Speaker and other officers so elected may be removed from office for cause by resolution of a two-thirds majority of the members of the House.

Speaking to reporters at the Temple of Justice, some lawmakers from the majority bloc agreed to have session in the main chambers of the House of Representatives this Tuesday November 5, 2024 to initiate the due process highlighted by Cllr. Kofa lawyers.

On a fateful day of Thursday, October 17, 2024, the Capitol Building was a scene of traction when the Anti-Koffa plotters were zealously gather signatures in the absence of the Speaker to remove him Koffa, but was met with resistance from Representative Saah Foko and colleagues who successfully disrupted the holding of session by the House in the absence of Koffa, demanded that the chamber of the plenary be closed until the arrival of the Speaker in country.