Nimba County Senator Prince Yormie Johnson calls on both Houses at the 54th Legislature to pause the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh and focus on the missing billions. Embattled Associate Ja’neh is facing impeachment action from the Senate for several charges.
Speaking after the first session of the extraordinary sitting of the 54th Liberian Legislature, Tuesday, October 30, Senator Johnson argues while it is true the allegation may have some realities or not, which will be verified by the Chief Justice, it is expedient that government focuses its attention on resolving the missing billions which is hunting every Liberian both here and in the diasporas.
The former presidential contender, who pledged his support to George Weah’s Coalition for Democratic Change in the 2017 presidential runoff, notes that issue surrounding the missing billions has become an international embarrassment at the ECOWAS, African Union and the United Nations.
He notes that from the concept of the impeachment proceedings against Justice Ja’neh, he (Johnson) had urged him to resign his post to safe the long legal battle and hard feelings.
Senator PYJ recalls that his earlier invention was based on the fact that Justice Ja’neh hails from Nimba, a county he represents at the Liberian Legislature but with the dilemma of the missing billions, it would be very understanding for the government and its people to put everything aside and resolve the money matter.
It all started when the Senate’s Chairman on Judiciary Senator Varney Sherman wrote plenary of the Senate, seeking for amendments in Rule 63 of the Senate.Rule 63: Section 1: Whenever the Senate receives notice from the House of Representatives that managers are appointed on their part to conduct an impeachment against any person and are directed to carry articles of impeachment to the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate shall immediately inform the House of Representatives that the Senate is ready to receive the Managers for the purpose of exhibiting such articles of impeachment agreeable to such notice.
But Senator Oscar Cooper of Margibi County says the emergency return of the senators is not about impeachment and the senate has been legislatively ‘armed bush’ by the leadership of the upper house.
He points out that they were called back to work based on the current economic constraints and the missing billions, not impeachment.
He was supported by Nimba County Senator Thomas Grupee argues that Rule 63 of the Senate is about impeachment and the senate does not have anything about impeachment during this current sitting and that the impeachment of Associate Justice Ja’neh is an emergency.
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Meanwhile, presiding officer and President of the Senate, Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor took a motion that the communication be circulated among senators and the matter be debated this Friday, November 02.
By E. J. Nathaniel Daygbor–Editing by Jonathan Browne
