Monrovia – Former Montserrado County Electoral District #9, Dr. Ketekumeh Murray, a host of high profile government officials, including Justice Minister, Musa Dean, Associate Justice Kabineh J’aneh, and hundreds of other persons recently paid their last respect to a fallen warrior of justice, Cllr. Francis Yarkpawolo Garlawolu.
Dr. Murray said in his tribute that Garlawolu, now deceased, was extraordinary in his fight for justice on behalf of his clients, including the government.
Laid to rest on Saturday, May 26, 2018 in his hometown of Feh-Yahweh Ta, Tongbayah clan, Bong County, Cllr. Garlawolu was a former Senator of who stood firm in his quest to see justice across the country.
“Sufficient words are not available now, neither will they be found in the future to express the magnitude of chief Garlawolu’s immense contribution to society. He surpassed, I am of the belief, the expectations of his admirers and opponents alike,” Dr. Murray said.
He recalled that Garlawolu who suffered from a protracted illness was not an ordinary lawyer, neither a careless statesman. “He did not care about the consequences that could arise from his defiant posture in pushing for the right things to happen,” he noted, adding “Na-Gbah (Garlwolu’s affectionate name) was truly a respected statesman of his own kind.”
Murray admonished the bereaved family to take solace in the counsels of God as it is within God’s powers all things happen as they do.
Hundreds of people trooped to the grounds where the remains of the veteran legal practitioner was laid to rest and paid their last earthly respect each in remembrance of his (Garlawolu) determination to see Liberia succeed in a comity of nations.
In a related development, Garlawolu, as he was truly a hero in his own profession, on July 21, 2004 won a groundbreaking decision against the government of Liberia in the form of a Declaratory Judgment that was handed down in Montserrado County’s 6th Judicial Circuit Court in which it became a legal mandate compelling the Liberian government to repatriate Dr. Malachi Z. York.
The court decision spearheaded by then judge Yussuf D. Kaba (now representing the Republic of Liberia at ECOWAS) stated it is the responsibility of the Liberian government to protect her citizens and Dr. Malachi York is of no exception to all immunities accorded Diplomats across the world. His decision was also in pursuant of respect for the Vienna accord which forbids all governments from arresting and putting in jail diplomats.
Dr. York who came to Liberia and took on the Liberian citizenship by means of naturalization in 1999 later became a Consul General in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, through an appointment from jailed Liberian former President Charles Ghankay Taylor. York, however, was arrested and jailed in the U.S. on accounts of racketeering, money laundering and transporting minors in interstate commerce for purposes of engaging in unlawful sexual activity. These accusations, however, have been termed by Dr. York’s followers as attempts only intended to silence the minority block of African Americans who are striving for absolute freedom from the nightmare of the days of colonialism which submerged them into the statehood of slavery.
On June 4, 2004, York’s legal client, Garlawolu began the process of requesting the Liberian government’s intervention in his (York) case by writing a letter to the then acting Foreign Affairs Minister, Thomas Yaya Nimely, former rebel faction(Movement for Democracy in Liberia or MODEL) leader.
In respecting the order of the Liberian Court, which, in its findings said Dr. York was innocent of the charges levied against him by the U.S. Court, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MOFA) on August 17, 2004 communicated to the Liberian Embassy in Washington D.C. that it (MOFA) has designated the late Counsellors Jenkins K.Z.B Scott, Deputy Minister & Legal Counsel for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francis Y.S. Garlowalu of the “Garlowalu Law Associates” And Attorney Morris A. Kaba of the Ministry of Justice to intercede the Release and Repatriation Dr. Malachi Z. York.
An Amicus Brief was drafted and filed by Attorney Morris Kaba for the Ministry of Justice, the late Cllr. Jenkins K.Z.B. Scott for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Cllr. Francis Y.S. Garlowalu served as the legal representative for Dr. York in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in the State of Georgia. The effort was to provide the U.S. Courts Dr. York’s status and Liberia’s finding that Dr. York is Innocent due to witness tampering.
Since 2004 the Garlowalu Law Firm has worked tirelessly to have Dr. York released based on his status and international law up until he (Garlawolu) suffered from a stroke in 2010 and became incapacitated. He even made an attempt to see his client in 2008 but was denied by the United States Bureau of Prisons at Florence ADMAX facility in Colorado.
Bedell Wellington and Arthur S. Kandakai who promised at the funeral service at the Bong County Administration building to keep his name alive through the Garlowalu Law Firm have been actively on the case and in communication with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to finally bring Francis Garlowalu’s landmark case to a positive close with the repatriation of Dr. York.
Cllr. Garlawolu (deceased), also served as a captain in the services of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) before assuming the responsibility of the post of deputy defense counsel of the People’s Redemption Council during late president Samuel K. Doe’s regime.
The deceased, by virtue of his association with many renowned law firms, developed expert knowledge in legal practices. He became a practicing lawyer of the Supreme Court Bar of Liberia in 1983.
In recognition of his long distinguished public service career and his enormous contributions to legal practices as well as to the peace-loving people of Liberia, the late Cllr. Garlawolu was awarded a certificate of honor by the Liberia National Bar Association in 2016. He also received an award from the international Criminal law Network in association with the international criminal Defense Association.
He served as the President of Bong County Bar Association and is the author of a book called “The Abandoned Child.”