In the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision to allow the Unity Party and other affiliate parties to participate in the Lofa County by-election, the former President of the Liberia Council of Churches, Rev. Dr. Kortu K. Brown, says the Supreme Court of Liberia is now living up to its true calling. Describing the Supreme Court ruling as “a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and for free and transparent elections”, Rev. Brown also praised Solicitor General Seyma Cephas’ decision to drop criminal conspiracy and CPP framework document tampering charges against Alternative National Congress Political Leader Alexander B. Cummings and others.
Making his position known June 8, 2022 in a press statement, Rev. Brown, who currently serves as Church Pastor of the New Water in the Desert Assembly, and Bishop of the Apostolic Pentecostal Church International, said, based on the bad precedent set by the Supreme Court during the impeachment trial of former Associate Justice Kabineh J’aneh and the most recent trial of former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, he (Rev. Brown) had harbored serious reservations about the neutrality of the court in adjudicating cases as the final arbiter of justice in the land.
“Personally, I was displeased with the Supreme Court’s previous handling of the trial of impeached former Associate Justice Kabineh M. Janeh and the ruling in the Brownie Samukai’s case concerning the misapplied funds of soldiers of the Armed Forces of Liberia. I believed that the Janeh impeachment trial was politically driven and didn’t possess enough legal grounds to warrant his removal from the Supreme Court Bench. The Senators and the rest of the other actors including the Executive Branch and the Chief Justice decided otherwise.
“For the Brownie Samukai’s case, I believe that he could have been allowed to either take his seat as Senator-elect of Lofa County and repay the misapplied funds or forfeit the seat as the punishment for the reported misapplication of the US$1.1m. As immediate past president of the Liberia Council of Churches (LCC), I vehemently spoke out and engaged severally – and unsuccessfully at all levels on these two cases.
“I was therefore apprehensive about what the Supreme Court would have said in the recent political parties’ litigations brought before it. However, my fears and worries were defeated. The court ruled that only the laws of the land can be used to deny a political party participation in any election. The ruling to allow the Unity Party and other affiliate parties to participate in the Lofa County by-election is a victory for democracy, the rule of law, and for free, fair and transparent elections, amongst others.
“I am also pleased to acknowledge the action by the Solicitor General to drop the case brought against Mr. Alexander Cummings and others,” Rev. Brown stated, wondering how Liberia is becoming an interesting place where strangely, the opposition political parties are taking one another to court. “To what end, I wonder?”
“The courts, especially the Supreme Court, have a major role to play in sustaining peace, security and stability in the country. The decisions of the court can help reconcile our people or further divide them. The National Elections Commission failed to have taken the appropriate decisions to abate further unnecessary confusion in our political debate. That is why we must commend the Justice in Chambers, Her Honor Jamesetta Howard Wolokolie for showing extra courage in bringing closure to some of these unnecessary political litigations including the unnecessary political wrangling within the Liberty Party. Finally, it looks like the Supreme Court is rising up to live up to her true meaning: let justice be done to all men!!!” Bishop Brown intoned.