Home » Liberia: STAND Calls Gbeisay Nomination as Chief Justice ‘Blow to Independence’

Liberia: STAND Calls Gbeisay Nomination as Chief Justice ‘Blow to Independence’

Morlu pointed to what he called Gbeisay’s “pattern of inconsistency” in recent rulings, specifically his contradictory positions in the Fonati Koffa legislative dispute.

Monrovia – The Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) has rejected President Joseph Boakai’s appointment of Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay as Chief Justice of Liberia, calling the nomination a direct threat to the independence of the judiciary.

By Selma Lomax [email protected]

Speaking on behalf of STAND and its civil society partners, including the WE THE PEOPLE Movement — organizers of the July 17 “Enough is Enough” protest — STAND Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu described the appointment as “a serious blow to judicial independence” and accused the Boakai administration of attempting to consolidate control over the Supreme Court.

“Justice Gbeisay’s elevation signals a troubling attempt by the Executive to tighten its grip on the nation’s highest court,” Morlu said. “It raises the specter of a politically compromised judiciary.”

Morlu pointed to what he called Gbeisay’s “pattern of inconsistency” in recent rulings, specifically his contradictory positions in the Fonati Koffa legislative dispute. 

In February, Gbeisay supported the Supreme Court’s boycott of President Boakai’s State of the Nation Address but later issued a dissenting opinion during the related Bill of Information hearing. “This flip-flop raises serious questions about his independence and capacity to lead with integrity,” Morlu said.

He warned that Gbeisay’s appointment could reverse progress made under out-going Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh and revive public fears of a politically subservient judiciary. “We remember the days when executive interference in the courts helped destabilize this country,” he said.

Morlu also cited concerns from international stakeholders. “The U.S. State Department and other partners have repeatedly raised alarms about judicial transparency,” he noted. “Appointing a figure perceived as pliable only deepens those concerns.”

Drawing parallels to the era of former Chief Justice Emmanuel Gbalazeh, Morlu warned, “Unless Liberians raise their voices, Gbeisay may well become the Gbalazeh of our time.”

He called on citizens across the country to participate in the July 17 protest to defend judicial independence and reject what he called a return to “a rubber-stamp Supreme Court.”

“Liberia is at a crossroads,” Morlu said. “We must choose between defending constitutionalism or watching our democracy decline. July is here. So is our resolve: Enough is Enough.”