The Supreme Court has suspended the Resident Judge of the Civil Law Court, Kennedy Peabody, for breaching his professional code of ethics. The high court noted in a communication last week that the renowned judge was in violation of the Judicial code of conduct. He has been suspended for six months.
Judge Peabody’s response, and the order from the Supreme Court tell a cautionary tale of how behavior outside of work can lead to discipline and how a respondent’s evasive response can create more problems.
Peabody’s disciplinary proceeding arose out of a complaint filed by Mr. Prince Kanneh, who had claimed that he was oppressed, suppressed and threatened by the judge, to take away from him a 14.5 of the 29 lots of land, belonging to a Lebanese businessman Bassam Jawhary. The remaining 14.5 lots was a gift from Jawhary to Judge Peabody, according to Kanneh.
In his response, Peabody denied the allegations and stated that at no time did he threaten Kanneh as alleged.
He further averred that he met with Kanneh for the first time, while on his way to Foday’s Town for a resurvey, upon an invitation of Counsellor Sayma Syrenius Cephus at his residence.
He also denied Kanneh’s ownership to the property of Momentum Engineering Group, Inc. and challenged him to produce the Articles of Incorporation for Momentum Engineering Group, Inc.
Peabody also argued that he is the owner of 29 lots of land from the Administrators of the Intestate Estate of the late Gborgar Kaipaul, Gbarvwen Kaipaul, Sabah Kaipaul, and Garway William Sharpe and that he issued a title deed for 14.5 lots, while 14.5 lots to Momentum Engineering Group, Inc.; that at no time did he preside over a case involving Bassam H. Jawhary and Oumou Sirleaf Hage, wife of Milad R. Hage, and Tony Hage at the Paynesville Magisterial Court, as alluded to by Kanneh and was gifted 14.5 lots of land by Bassam H. Jawhary.
Peabody also said that he knows Hassam H. Jawhary and they both had similar dreams and vision to build homes for homeless people in Liberia, which necessitated the purchase of 29 lots of Land; that at no time has he ever oppressed, suppressed or threatened Kanneh.
“In fact, it is Kanneh, who has sold two acres of the subject property to various persons who have cornerstones planted; that he served a survey notice on all parties, including those to whom he had sold land to,” the judge alleged.
Peabody maintained and denied Kanneh’s appointment as his caretaker or an Attorney-In-fact to Bassam H. Jawhary, a majority shareholder and CEO of Momentum Engineering Group, Inc., to look after the property.
However, in a unanimous judgment, the justices of the Supreme Court said, Peabody should have been careful to have avoided such connection which may reasonably tend to awaken the suspicion that his social or business relationship or friendships constitute an element influencing his judicial conduct.
“We therefore hold that Peabody exhibited unethical conducts that warrant punishment, hence, we hereby affirmed both the JIC’s Report and that of the amici curiae’s recommendation with modification, that he be suspended without salary and benefits for the period of six (6) months as of this Judgment,” the Supreme Court said.
Kanneh further argued that Peabody, in the exercise of his judicial power, ordered a re-survey of his 14.5 lots of land, where he included the company’s 14.5 lots in the resurvey, on the basis that he had title deed to the 29 lots, which took placed on February 23, 2023.
Prior to the resurvey, Kanneh said, he was employed with Jawhary, and they acquired the 29 lots of land. Unfortunately, Kanneh said, since Peabody was interested in the entire 29 lots, the judge began to oppress, suppress and threaten him, prompting him to seek the intervention of then Retired Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh.
