Justice-in-Chambers Jamesetta Wolokollie has issued a stay order on the confirmation of Cllr. Musa Dean as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
Cllr. Dean, Liberia’s current Justice Minister and Attorney General, was recently nominated by outgoing President George Manneh Weah to serve as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
The appointment has stirred controversies across Liberia with less than a month for Mr. Weah’s administration to expire.
The stay order was issued following a Writ of Prohibition filed by the opposition Unity Party (UP) which won the 14 November 2023 presidential run-off against the ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).
The UP filed the writ of prohibition through its Chairman Rev. Luther Tarpeh, National Secretary-General Amos Tweh, and all other officials of the party.
The party filed the instrument against the Liberian Senate, by and through its President, Jewel Howard Taylor, and Senate President Pro-Tempore Albert T. Chie, as well as the leadership of the Senate and the nominee for the Associate Justice position, Cllr. Dean.
Cllr. Dean was nominated to the high court few hours after Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe announced his elderly retirement due to poor health.
According to the Executive Mansion, President Weah granted Associate Justice Nagbe’s early retirement request, a move also criticized by some members of the public.
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Associate Justice Nagbe was nominated by President Weah and confirmed by the Liberia Senate August 2018, replacing retired Associate Justice Philip A.Z. Banks.
The nomination have an inner motive! Weah in his wisdom could have just leave that issue alone, taking into consideration that he is about to leave office. But thanks to the Justice in chamber for granting the Writ of Prohibition prayed for by the Unity Party. Long live the Honorable Supreme Court!
This is a necessary venture to avoid or delay this useless, senseless and unnecessary confirmation by the nominee associate Cllr. Varney Sharman who is under US sanction for corruption and briberies in the judicial areas.
And also thanks to the legislative staffers who halted today the confirmation at the legislature by creating road blocks to avoid corrupt Varney Sharman and committee members from entering the capital building to start the process.