By Lincoln G. Peters
Dismissed Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) Managing Director Bishop John Allen Klayee is challenging a Ne Exeat Republica issued by the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) banning him from traveling out of Liberia, informing the Monrovia City Court that the government’s move clearly violates his constitutional right.
His lawyers have filed a motion before the court, pleading with it to quash the writ of Ne Exeat Republica because it is in constitutional and legal breaches.
Bishop Klayee’s lawyers argued that inconsistent with the opinion of the Supreme Court of Liberia, for the writ of Ne Exeat Republica to lie, there must be a pending matter before the court.
However, the lawyer argued that the Government of Liberia is conducting an investigation into alleged financial malpractice, therefore issuing the writ of Ne Exeat Republica is wrong.
In July, President George Manneh Weah dismissed Bishop Klayee amid serious health protocol lapses at the Roberts International Airport (RIA) in Margibi County, which led to the mass entry of travelers from India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, three countries heavily infested with the Delta variant, a new strain of the deadly COVID-19.
The Executive Mansion noted that under the leadership of Bishop Klayee, employees of the Liberia Airport Authority were beset by unpaid salaries, greeted by a consistent outcry from the workforce.
“In the instant case, there is no pending matter before any court involving our client. However, there is an ongoing investigation of alleged financial malpractice and it does not warrant the insurance of the writ of Ne Exeat Republica,” said Klayee’s legal team.
The defense team added that doing so is in violation of the Supreme Court’s opinion, the constitution, and the statutory doctrine of presumption of innocence.
Further, the defense team explained that before a writ of Ne Exeat Republica is filed, there should be a cause to show that the defendant intends to leave the state very soon.
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“[It] must be positive as to this point, or must show threats or declaration to that effect or facts evidencing it or circumstance amounting to it,” the defense said.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/travel-ban-belated/—Edited by Winston W. Parley
