Monrovia – Cllr. Frederick Doe Cherue, a former Minister of Justice, head of the Liberian Bar Association, Senator from River Gee County and Managing Director of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company, has died.
“I observed him then to have had an attitude of gratitude to people who were good to him. I got to know him as s practicing lawyer in the late 80’s and saw first-hand how he dealt with his clients. He was kind, humble and was patient with his clients. He was very loyal and had attitude of gratitude to those who helped him or did any good for him.”
Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull
Family sources confirmed to FrontPageAfrica that Cllr. Cherue died early Saturday morning at the Medanta Hospital in Gurgaon, India, where he had been undergoing treatment for some time. His wife, Vivian and nephew, Cllr. Negbalee Warner were by his side at the time of his passing.
Cllr. Cherue was elected to the National Legislature in the 2005 elections that brought former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to power. During that time, he served on several committees including Chairman of the Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, a member of the committees on Executive; Judiciary; Defense, Intelligence, Security & Veteran Affairs; Concession and Investment; Maritime; Public Accounts & Audits; Education and Public Administration.
“Cllr. Cherue was a very decent person, a well-respected professional colleague. His death is a great loss to his family, the profession and his colleagues,” Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean told FrontPageAfrica Saturday.
Cllr. Pearl Brown Bull, who worked on several cases with the late Senator and lawyer recalled Cherue as a very trust worthy and detailed-oriented lawyer who exhibited calm and patience in dealing with his clients and fellow lawyers. “I observed him then to have had an attitude of gratitude to people who were good to him. I got to know him as s practicing lawyer, in the late 80’s and saw firsthand how he dealt with his clients. He was kind, humble and was patient with his clients. He was very loyal and had attitude of gratitude to those who helped him or did any good for him.”
Representative J. Nagbe Sloh(District No. 2, Sinoe County) recalled a mentor who was very influential in his life. “From the time of my birth in 1964 to this morning, he stood by me in all situations, both good and bad. When I was running in 2017 for the bar, he was Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Liberia, very busy but still found time to advise and help me. When his big sister (my mother) died in 2014, he stood firm. Always the answer to all family problems. Death snatched uncle Fred Doe Cherue from us this morning. Lord, please lead him home.”
“Cllr. Cherue was a very decent person, a well-respected professional colleague. His death is a great loss to his family, the profession and his colleagues.”
Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean
Cllr. Cherue, who also ran his own private practice, Dugbor Law Firm, represented former President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf during probe into the NOCAL-ExxonMobile alleged bribery saga of the National Oil Company of Liberia.
A Special Presidential Committee set up by President George Manneh Weah to probe the saga recommended that officials who were mentioned to have received monies in the form of bonus/honorarium for signing the sale of Oil Block-13 be made to restitute the amounts into government’s coffers.
When he was appointed in June 2016, as the last Justice Minister of the Sirleaf administration, Cherue said he was honored to serve his country while being mindful of the fact that the commissioning was taking place on the eve of security being turned over to Liberian security forces by the United Nations and expressed confidence that the country will remain safe and protected.
Last January during his turning over ceremony that he was always mindful of the limitations of the post of Justice Minister. “I told you this was not Cherue’s farm and the assignment is transitory, I’m asking you that this new government coming in, young people must give their cooperation fully, don’t pray that the new ministers coming will fail, because if they fail, we all fail,” he noted.