Liberia’s Supreme Court Absent From President Boakai’s State of the Nation Address

Monrovia – In an unexpected development, the justices are absent from President Joseph Boakai’s second State of the Nation Address, scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM on Monday.

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By Selma Lomax [email protected]

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On Sunday, the Executive Mansion released the event’s official protocol, instructing all guests, dignitaries, and members of the Legislature and Judiciary to be seated by 3:45 PM in anticipation of the President’s arrival.

 However, by 3:50 PM, no member of the Supreme Court had taken their seat, raising questions about their absence.

Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court issued a statement explaining that Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh would  have absent due to her participation in the Annual High-Level Meeting of Chief Justices and Presidents of Supreme and Constitutional Courts from Africa and the Middle East in Cairo, Egypt. 

The meeting, an important annual event, focuses on strengthening judicial cooperation between African and Middle Eastern nations.

Darryl Ambrose Nmah Sr., Director of Communications at the Supreme Court, did not confirm whether the remaining justices would be in attendance. FrontPageAfrica reached out to Nmah for further clarification, but his calls went unanswered.

The absence of the justices has sparked widespread speculation in political circles. 

Many observers believe their boycott may be a strategic move to distance the judiciary from the leadership of Richard Koon, who was controversially elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives. 

The Supreme Court’s ruling in the ongoing leadership dispute has been contentious, and critics suggest that the justices’ absence could signal disapproval of Koon’s leadership.

As tensions continue to escalate over the power struggle within the House of Representatives, the justices’ absence from such a key national event has added further intrigue to Liberia’s political landscape.