Monrovia – It’s been two years and still counting since the 2014 special senatorial election was held in December, bringing on board 15 new Senators.
Report by Henry Karmo – [email protected]
After the certification of the 15 new senators by the National Election Commission (NEC) it appeared all was settled with the election’s result but FrontPageAfrica has gathered it is not how it appeared.
This paper has gathered that there are still legal issues that are unsettled.
These are election cases by individuals who felt cheated in the process and filed their complaints to the Supreme Court but these complaints are yet to be adjudicated.
One of the many cases is Jonathan Boye Charles Sogbie verses Conmany Wesseh.
The Supreme Court is yet to deliver its opinion on the matter.
In an interview with FPA Wednesday, Mr. Sogbie requested the Supreme Court of Liberia to hear and adjudicate the case and bring it to an end.
He added that this will build public confidence in the Country’s Justice System.
“This is an appeal to the Supreme Court of Liberia; our case from 2014 is still before the court,” Sogbie told FPA.
“It’s been two years and still counting so we are asking the court to hear our case so that it cannot be used as a case study in coming elections.”
Sogbie said it beats his imagination why among all the cases that have been adjudicated by the Supreme Court only his involving Mr. Wesseh is still pending.
He denounced the perception that ‘Justice Delay is Justice denied’.
“It is troublesome and worrisome; it could lead to the lack of confidence in the Judiciary. What I want is ‘you are wrong, you are right’.
“When I visit my people these are the questions they ask me and I have no answer to the question.”
“If it goes my way I will take my seat as a senator, if I lose it will bring peace to me and my people,” Sogbie said.
“I want the court to call NEC and hear this case. If I am wrong I will accept.”
“This is not only about me; we are going into elections, why if this was at the level of the presidency?
People in River-Gee are not satisfied they are asking me if I have sold out, or I have been given money to withdraw the case without consultation and that can have a damaging effect on my political future.”
In March 2016, the Supreme Court issued a writ of summoned for contempt to NEC through its chairman, Cllr. Jerome Korkoya appeared before the full bench of the Supreme Court to show cause why it should not be held in contempt for failure to appear on Tuesday July 12, 2016 for hearing on the case between Sogbie and Weseh. A copy of the writ is in the possession of FPA.
In another document dated in October 2014 after hearing arguments and contentions advanced by the parties, the court reviewed the facts and circumstances presented and revealed by the records, examined and studied the laws, ruled that the NEC had no legal authority or power to certificate any declared winning candidate where challenges and complaints are filed with the commission against the elections.
“The declaration of the results and the declaration of winning candidates by the Commission, such certification is a violation of the due process of the law rights of the complainants guaranteed by the constitution of Liberia, and section 6.2(a) of the elections law which purports to interfere that there exist such right in the commission being unconstitutional,” the documents sates.
The court furthered granted the petition for the writ of prohibition which proscribed the NEC from certification of any declared winners in a public elections where a complaint is filed against the elections and process pursued by the commission.