Supreme Court suspends NPP lawyers

At least two counselors-at-Law who represented former ruling National Patriotic Party at an election-related matter emerging out of the December 2014 poll have been suspended “for three months and one month” from the practice of law in Liberia for what the Supreme Court considers “grave consequences” of their conducts “determined to be contemptuous.”

The suspended counselors Sayma Syrenius Cephus and  James N. Kumeh had both represented the former ruling NPP in a series of election-related matters heard at the Supreme Court.

“That this Court having considered the grave consequences of the conduct of Counselors Sayma Syrenius Cephus and James N. Kumeh, which the Court has determined to be contemptuous, we do hereby suspend Counselors Sayma Syrenius Cephus and James N. Kumeh from the practice of law directly and indirectly within the bailiwick of the Republic of Liberia for three and one month respectively,” the court decided yesterday.

In a judgment authorized by Associate Justices Mr. Kabineh M. Ja’neh, Justice Jamesetta H. Wolokolie and Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, the court ordered the clerk to communicate the decision with all courts throughout the Republic of Liberia.

The Justices ordered the clerk to inform all courts of the suspension of Cllr. Cephus for three months and Cllr. Kumeh for one month effective immediately.

Since the conduct of the December 2014 special senatorial elections, the high court has been hearing series of election related cases, as some defeated candidates protested against certification of declared winning candidates.

At the time of suspending the NPP Counselors, the Supreme Court had earlier yesterday ordered the National Elections Commission’s Board of Commissioners to certificate Margibi County Senate- elect Mr. Jim Wonba Tornonlah, whose victory had over the past months been challenged by Professor Ansu D. Sonii of main opposition Congress for Democratic Change.