All eyes are set on President Joseph Nyuma Boakai as he leafs through names and profiles of dozens of qualified Liberians as replacement of Chief Justice Sie-A-Yuohwho has reached retirement age.
Madam Yuoh celebrated her 70th birthday yesterday, a constitutional age ceiling for retirement of chief justice and other judges.
Who would fit in the President’s own benchmarks and other legal peripheries is the most concerning issue begging answers.
Normally, Presidents adopt the dress by dress approach, looking within for the replacement of a retired chief Justice, as in the case of Justice Yuoh who was an Associate Justice, and later nominated by former President George Weah to replace then retired Chief Justice Cllr. Francis Korkpor.
Besides, the President deserves the right as per the constitution to appoint anyone who meets the requirements to serve in the capacity.
However, some of those who many believe are on the President’s mind and watchlist include current Associate Justice Yamie Gbeisay, Justice Minister Cllr. Oswald Toweh, former TRC Chairman, Cllr. Jerome Verdier and Cllr. Jamesetta Wolokollie, a long-serving Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Bench.
Justice Gbeisay is, however, said to be at the top of those being considered to replace the outgoing Chief Justice Yuoh.
Unconfirmed reports speak of ongoing consultations amongst top executives of the ruling Unity Party as the search for the new Chief Justice intensifies.
While the President is mulling the way out, others are reportly campaigning for the consideration of their kinsmen by President Boakai.
Those with tribal connection to Justice Gbeisay including Vice President Jeramiah Koung and other key stakeholders are said to be talking in the President’s ears.
If the position is given to Justice Gbeisay, many believe it would be a political reward to the people of NimbaCounty for their support to the government, having played pivotal role in the President’s victory.
The Associate Justice preferment could be a boost to the government’s efforts to stamp its authority and unhindered control of the system as it pushes hard in the anti-corruption fight evidenced by ongoing prosecution both current and former officials of government allegedly involved in acts of corruption.
Who is Justice Gbeisay?
Justice Gbeisay, a son of Nimba County, was appointed Associate Justice by former President George Weah, filling the gap created by the elevation of Justice Yuoh.
He was born 1959 unto the union of Mr. Henry P. Quiquiand Madam Yah Domah, in Gonpa City, Nimba County.
He obtained his high school education and diploma from the Dolo Memorial High School, Sanniquellie City, Nimba County in 1979, and subsequent to that a “B” certificate in Language Art and Social Studies from the Kakata Rural Teacher’s Training Institute (KRTTI), Kakata City, Margibi County in the year 1983.
Thereafter, he enrolled at the University of Liberia (UL), in pursuit of further tertiary education where he graduated in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in History of Govt/Public Administration.
Mr. Justice Gbeisay enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, where he was trained as a lawyer and obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree in 1998 and was subsequently admitted into the Liberia National Bar Association as an Attorney-At-Law in 1998. His Honor was also admitted as Counsellor-At-Law of the Supreme Court Bar in 2002.
Associate Justice Gbeisay began his public and professional service within the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) where he taught language arts and social studies from 1984 – 1989.
He then served as a Research Analyst at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1989 – 1990, then as Director, Claims and Benefits, National Social Security and Welfare Corporation (NASSCORP), 1996 – 1999, Legal Counsel, Ministry of Labor, 2001 – 2003 and then Legal Counsel, National Elections Commission (NEC) from 2003 – 2005.
Justice Gbeisay began his private legal practice as Managing Partner at the Tiala Law Associates Inc. from 2005 – 2009 at which time he returned to national service as Legal Consultant, Ministry of Justice [MOJ] under the Senior Executive Service Program of the Government of Liberia from 2009 – 2014.
He returned to his private duties as Managing Partner, Tiala Law Associates Inc. in 2014 from where he was nominated, confirmed and appointed Relieving Judge in 2015, a position he served until his recent appointment as Associate Justice of the Honorable Supreme Court of Liberia, in October 2022.
Justice Minister Tweh
Appointed in 2024, Minister Tweh is one of the celebrated and respected legal minds, whose experience in the judiciary spans several years.
For decades, he successfully ran the Tweh & Pierre Law Firm before his preferment by President Boakaifollowing the withdrawal of Cllr. Massaquoi due to public pressure.
He has a rich education background, graduating with honors from Cuttington University College 1984 with a B.S.C.
He enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, and graduated in 1986 with honors in LL.M., and went to Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1988.
He served as President of the Liberia National Bar Association f4om 2006 – 2008); and is a member of New York State Bar Association; American Bar Association.
His specializes in Corporate Taxation; Corporate Law; International Business; Commercial Transactions; Litigation, and served aa Assistant Professor of Law, Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, 1992-1996; Managing Partner, Brumskine& Associates, 1991-1999; Member, National Board of Bar Examiners, Supreme Court of Liberia, 1994-1996/February 2004 to 2014; Member, Board of Directors, Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC), 1994-1995; Member, Tax Commission of Liberia, 1999; Member, Grievance & Ethics Committee, Supreme Court of Liberia, 2002 to 2013; Chairman, Board of Directors, Industrial Property Office, 2005 to 2012; Chairman, Provisional Board of Directors, Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC), February 2006 to September 2007; Member, Judicial Inquiry Commission, Supreme Court of Liberia, 2006 to 2008; Co-Chairman, Judicial Training Institute Steering Committee, Supreme Court of Liberia, 2007 to 2008; Member Board of Directors of the Liberian National Oil Company, 2009 to 2010; Member, Executive Council of the Liberia Chamber of Commerce, 2009 to February 2011; Member, Judicial Council of the United Methodist Church, 2012 to the present; President, Liberia Chamber of Commerce, 2021
Who is Associate Wolokollie?
Associate Justice Wolokollie is a renowned female lawyer, highly respected and qualified amongst her peers.
She was appointed Associate Justice during the first term of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and is the long-serving Associate Justice on the Bench.
She was born in Maryland County, Liberia, and has a B.A. Degree in English/Sociology, College of Liberal and Fine Arts in 1981 from the University of Liberia.
She received a M.A. Degree in English and Teaching & Production of Drama, School of Drama, in 1985 from the Florida State University, U.S.A. and later received an L.L.B. in Law from the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia in 1988.
She served as instructor within the English Department at the University of Liberia from 1981 – 1994, and as Legal Counsel at the Law Offices of Barnes and Johnson; Maxwell and Maxwell Law Offices; Cooper and Togbah; in-house counsel, Liberia Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI), Monrovia, Liberia from 1988-2005.
As Counsellor-at-Law, she served as Assistant Secretary and subsequently as Secretary of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA).
She also served as the 1st Vice President of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL). Her service with the Government of Liberia began when she served as Nationwide Consultation for the Governance Reform Commission (GRC), Monrovia, Liberia from 2004-2005; Minister of Youth and Sports, Monrovia, Liberia from April 2005-June 2007.
In July 2007, she was nominated by Madam Sirleaf, and confirmed by the Liberian Senate to serve as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Republic of Liberia.
Who is Cllr. Jerome Verdier
Cllr. Verdier is a household name in Liberia’s social and political cycles, a leading human rights and civil society activist prior to his selection to serve on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission TRC.
Cllr. Verdier holds a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) Degree in Accounting and Economics (1988) from the University of Liberia and a Bachelors of Laws Degree (LLB) from its Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law.
Apart from working both in the private and public sectors as Senior Accountant, Comptroller and Executive Director, he has been instrumental in strengthening civil society advocacy whilst serving in several capacities as Executive Director of Liberia Democracy Watch (LDW); Chairman of the Board of Directors of The National Human Rights Center of Liberia (NHRCL), a consortium of nine human rights and pro-democracy organizations; Board Chairperson of the Foundation For International Dignity (FIND); Senior Staff Attorney for the Association of Environmental Lawyers (Green Advocates); and the first Research & Program Officer of the Catholic Justice & Peace Commission (JPC).
Cllr. Verdier is a practicing attorney, credited for rendering pro bono legal services to indigents, civil society activists and journalists, whilst also leading civil society adversarial legal teams in several successful lawsuits against the government of Liberia.
Whoever is appointed will bring renewed vigor to the position and the judiciary as the government intensifies its anti-corruption fight.
He or she will be tasked with purging the judiciary of misfits amid claims and allegations of corruption.
The appointment of people to the Supreme Court Bench is said to be void of politics, but that political party interests and personal relationships and loyalty are not thrashed as well.
Presently, the government is preparing former government officials who are linked to various alleged corruption, including former Minister Maxwell SaahKemayah, former Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Thelma Sawyer, former GSA Director Mary Broh, Henry Williams, Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA).
President Boakai is also demonstrating his uncompromising stance in the fight against corruption by suspending some top government officials, including Christopher D. Sankolo, Director-General of the Liberia Agricultural Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA), and his deputy, Chea B. Garley over allegations of financial and administrative misconduct, among others.
