Members of the Majority Bloc, meeting in the Joint Chamber of the Legislature, have suspended four additional lawmakers for 30 session days, citing “misconduct.”
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh, gerald.koinyeneh @frontpageafricaonline.com
The suspended representatives include Frank Saah Foko (District #9, Montserrado County), Eugene Kollie (District #3, Montserrado County), Zinnah Normah (District #3, Lofa County), and Alex Noah (District #3, Gbarpolu County).
The decision, announced during Thursday’s session, follows the lifting of an earlier hold on their suspension by the House Plenary. The Majority Bloc stated that the lawmakers’ actions were deemed “unbecoming of their status as Representatives.”
Forfeiture of Salaries and Warnings of Expulsion
During the suspension period, the affected lawmakers will forfeit their salaries and benefits for December, January, and February. Additionally, the House warned that their March salaries and benefits could be redirected to government coffers if deemed necessary.
The Majority Bloc also hinted at further disciplinary action. Presiding officer Richard Nagbe Koon suggested that previously suspended lawmakers could face expulsion in January for violating the bloc’s mandate to stay away from the Capitol Building.
However, Rep. Samuel Kogar, Chair of the Judicial Committee, warned against such a move, citing the principle of double jeopardy. He argued that the lawmakers are already serving their suspensions and cannot face further punishment for the same offenses. Koon countered, claiming the mandate to stay away was part of the original motion and should not be violated.
Brewing Political Tensions
This latest suspension follows a similar action against Representatives Marvin Cole (Bong County District #3), Abu Kamara (Montserrado County District #15), and Edward Papay Flomo (Montserrado County District #13). With Thursday’s decision, a total of seven lawmakers are now officially suspended.
The Majority Bloc, a group opposing Speaker J. Fonati Koffa’s leadership, has been holding sessions in the Joint Chamber since October, effectively challenging the Speaker’s authority.
In their session, they have made several decisions that altered the House leadership and plunged into the House into an acrimonious dispute.
The pro-Koffa group criticized the Majority Bloc’s actions as unconstitutional and warned the ongoing suspensions undermine the House’s credibility.
Reactions and Questions of Fairness
The lawmakers were accused of violating the House rules, mainly obstructing lawmakers from attending session. The suspensions have drawn mixed reactions. Critics have raised concerns about the fairness and transparency of the process, terming the Majority Bloc’s actions as politically motivated.
The suspension of seven lawmakers adds to the heightened tensions and ongoing scrutiny of the House’s leadership, deepening the political divide within the Legislature.
