Monrovia – Amos Brosuis, the owner of Ducor Petroleum which from which Commercial Court Judge Eva Mappy-Morgan illegally authorized the withdrawal of US$3 million when the court had frozen the account, has requested Chief Justice Francis Korkpor to have the Judge Morgan restitute the amount.

Judge Morgan was recently found guilty of breaching judicial ethics by the Judiciary Inquiry Commission (JIC) for wrongly handling the case involving Ducor Petroleum and unfreezing the account without the consent of all parties.

The JIC has recommended a one-year suspension which is pending until the Supreme Court can approve.

Mr. Brosuis recounted in his letter to the Chief Justice that the JIC investigation established that there was an agreement between Monrovia Oil Trading Company (MOTC) and Ducor Petroleum Management bank accounts no. 0221215153401 at the LBDI frozen and placed in the custody of the Commercial Court to prevent any of the disputing parties from having access to finances in Ducor receivables and bank accounts pending the final determination of the petition for accounting.

He informed the Chief Justice that Judge Morgan’s depletion of his account has left untold suffering on his children who are frequently thrown out of school.

He also described her one-year suspension as “soft”.

“It is a fact that all the illegal orders that saturated Judge Mappy Morgan is  illegal conduct that led to the depletion of the Ducor accounts frozen by the court was done in her official judicial capacity not as a private citizen of Liberia, therefore the court should exert every effort to ensure that the monies are returned in the account, as the only reason the parties are before the commercial court is the result of dispute of ownership ofUS$3.352M,” he stated.

Monrovia – Commercial Court Judge at the Temple of Justice Eva Mappy-Morgan was on Wednesday found guilty of financial malpractice and ordered suspended for one year without pay and benefits by the Judiciary Inquiry Commission (JIC).

The JIC’s recommendation against the head judge of the Commercial Court comes after eight months of investigation into a complaint filed against her by businessman and manager of Liberian owned Ducor Petroleum Company alleging that over US$3 million was withdrawn from his company’s account and given to the Monrovia Oil Trading Company (MOTC) on order of Judge Morgan while the case was pending before the court.

The Judiciary Inquiry Commission’s recommendation/decision is subject to approval of the Supreme Court.

 If this recommendation is endorsed by the Supreme Court, it means that Judge Morgan would be replaced by an ad-hoc judge while.

The Act that created the Commercial Court in 2013 requires three judges to adjudicate cases and render a decision.

Judge Morgan who is the current president of the National Trial Judges of Liberia and a Professor at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the   University of Liberia is the second appointed judge of the Commercial Court to be penalized in less than two years for ethical violation through the recommendation of the Judiciary Inquiry Commission (JIC).

 The first judge to be axed from the court for corruption was Richard Klah. Klah was ordered by the Supreme Court to face impeachment at the National Legislature after the JIC had investigated and found him guilty of receiving bribes from parties that have appeared before him in 2019.

For fear of the consequences of impeachment, Klah resigned his post and traveled to the United States.

The JIC stated that in June 2013, the Monrovia Oil Trading Company (MOTC) filed a petition to the Commercial Court for accounting against Amos Brosius claiming that MOTC was a majority shareholder in the Ducor Petroleum Company, a company managed by Amos Brosuis.

In reaction to the claim, the JIC added that the complaint Brosius filed a return to the petition for accounting and filed a motion to vacate the injunction but the Judge Morgan decided to single handedly preside over the case by entertaining several pre-trial conferences without the input of the two other judges which resulted into an agreement of the parties to freeze the accounts of Ducor Petroleum at the LBDI and that of the Ecobank.

In furtherance, upon the request by MOTC to unfreeze the LBDI account of Ducor Petroleum in aid of the smooth operation of the company, Chief Judge Morgan gave the unfreezing order and ordered modified same to return the LBDI account of Ducor Petroleum to status quo ante.

On August 9, 2013, the record of the JIC added that the parties through their lawyers MOTC and the Complaint Brosuis but complainant (Brosuis) alleged that he was not aware of the signing of an agreement.

Again, on July 18, 2018 Brosuis lodged a complaint to Chief Justice Francis Korkpor claiming that he discovered that Judge Morgan immediately turned over his company over to the MOTC on July 23, 2013 hereby enabling MOTC to open another Ducor Petroleum Inc. office at the Freeport of Monrovia in the same building housing the LBDI Bushrod Island has since been operating his company since the writing of his complaint to the Chief Justice.

According to the JIC, its finding established from the investigation and unrefuted by Judge Morgan that she presided over the petition for accounting filed by MOTC against complaint Brosuis involving the amount of US$8 million as a single judge contrary to the Act creating the Commercial Court.

The Act provides that a case filed before the Commercial Court may be heard by one of the three judges of the court provided; that where the amount of claim is in the excess of US$1 million or equivalent, the case shall be heard by all three judges.

The JIC added that the standing law in the jurisdiction is that any order, ruling and judgment of a judge is a legal nullity where the judge presides over a case without jurisdiction, therefore, the decision of the judge to assume jurisdiction over the case and order in respect of the freezing, unfreezing and returning Ducor Petroleum to status quo ante violates Judicial Canon 10.

Judicial Canon 10 states: A judge should be temperate, attentive, and impartial and since he is to administer the law, interpret it and comply it to the facts, he shall be studious of the principle of the law and diligent in endeavoring to ascertain the facts said the JIC finding.

According to the JIC, the investigation found and established that the MOTC letter dated July 22, 2012 was a private communication and argument between Judge Morgan and MOTC resulting to the Judge’s orders of July23, 2013 and July 24, 2013. Both  orders adversely and grossly affected the rights of the complainant, as stated in Judicial Cannon 24.

“JIC is of the considered opinion that the conduct of the respondent violates the fundamental rights of the complaint, the Constitution, statutes and Judicial Canons of the Republic of Liberia in manner and form so egregious, reckless, callous without remorse. The JIC recommends that the Supreme Court suspend the respondent for the period of one year without pay and benefits,” the JIC recommended.

The JIC recommendations was signed by Associate Justice Yussif Kaba, chairman, Cllr. George Henries, member, Boima Kontoe, Judge member, James Jones, Judge member, Sister Mary Laurene Browne, member, Emmanuel Bowier, member, Nelson Chinneh magistrate member and Jura Lynch member.

Monrovia — A solidarity group from Lofa County and other unnamed counties under the banner “Friends of Lofa County Senator-elect Brownie Samukai on Tuesday presented a check of US$10,000.00 to the lawyers representing the convicted Senator-elect for onward submission to the Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice.

The amount, they said, is part of the restitution of US$1.1 million that the Court ordered Mr. Samukai and his cohorts to restitute or face a two-year jail. They are expected to restitute over US$600,000 in six months.

The manager check with the inscription pay to the AFL Morale and Welfare Account was presented on Tuesday at the Temple of Justice to Cllrs. Augustine Fayiah and Wiefueh Sayeh by former Lofa County Superintendent Galakpa Kortimai.

Presenting the check while his kinsmen and women looked on, former Superintendent Kortima stated that after the conviction of the Senator-elect, the group planned to help him in order to pay his 50% share of the AFL US$1.1 million.

The amount presented, the former Superintendent indicated that it was collected from farmers, marketers, women, motorcyclists and students from Lofa County and other counties in solidarity with the Lofa County Senator-elect.

“Our county is bleeding because Lofa is not represented at the level of the National Legislature due to the delay by the National Election Commission (NEC) to certificate our Senator-elect,” said Kortimai who reported that Unity Party partisans in the United States have made some cash contribution but due to the banking problem they were unable to collect the money.

He said, the solidarity group will be making payment of the money almost every week until the 50% share of the Senator-elect is paid in full.

Receiving the check, Cllr. Sayeh who spoke on behalf of he and his colleague thanked the group and said the check would be presented to the court and the court will be asked give a receipt.

“The total amount of his share of the money to be paid by all three is US$382,00 for each,” said Cllr. Sayeh.

Former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai while in the employ of the Ministry was indicted by the Grand Jury of Montserrado County alongside Deputy for Administration Joseph Johnson and Comptroller Nyumah Dorbor that in July 2019 and November2017 US$1,943.971.99 was deposited into the Armed Forces Of Liberia (AFL) pension Account by them.

The pension account contained salary deductions and was established to supplement the pension package to personnel of the AFL upon retirement and to provide benefits for wounded AFL Soldiers and families of dead AFL Soldiers, deduction was made based on rank.

The indictment noted that the three Defendants criminally withdrew US$1,259,462 from the account between the period of September 2014 and September 2017.

Samukai and co-Defendants Johnson, Dorbor were charged with theft of property, misuse of public money and criminal conspiracy though pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned by the lower court.

After the trial Samukai and others were found guilty and sentenced to two years in a common jail and ordered to restitute the money in question but the three Defendants appealed to the Supreme Court against the guilty verdict of lower court Judge Yarmie Gbeisay in March 2020.

The Supreme Court after an argument pros and cons ruled on February 8, 2021 and upheld the lower court guilty verdict however, the two years jail sentence imposed by the lower court was suspended in an Opinion handed down by Associate Justice Yussif Kaba and the Defendants were ordered to restitute the full amount of US$1,147,656.38 or 50% of that amount in six months or be arrested and detain in a common jail.

This is the first payment to the court by one of the convicts since the Supreme Court handed down its Opinion on the case on February 8, 2021.

MONROVIA – For several years in Liberia, some public and private school teachers have been involved in strikes and go-slow actions in demand of high salaries and incentives to dignify the teaching profession.

As the result of low salaries and incentives, some of these teachers who are professionals are forced to quit the profession for other jobs with high salaries and incentives.

In the wake of these challenges facing the teaching profession in the country, the president of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe is calling on the government for support that could dignify the teaching profession in the country.

 LNBA President made the clarion call when he served as guest speaker at the induction ceremony of officers of the Monrovia Consolidated School System Teachers Association (MCSSTA) over the weekend at the G.W. Gibson Junior and Senior High.

In his speech, Cllr. Gongloe who is also a lecturer at the Louise Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia recommended to government to provide free transportation services to teachers on public vehicles, as well free education to children of teachers as a means of encouragement.

“If we pay attention to our teachers they will teach people that will become millionaires and billionaires in the country because teachers create the avenue for other people to grow and that doors are always open to good teachers,” said Gongloe.

Cllr. Gongloe stated besides providing salaries for teachers the Ministry of Education should give award not only to students who passed in public exams but teachers as well who impacted the knowledge to the students from that schools to pass the exam.

According to Cllr. Gongloe, there cannot be change without any agent of change and that if government cannot take care of teachers there will be no progress as no country can make progress without education. “Pay teachers well so that the children of Liberia can get better education,” he emphasized.

In his inaugural speech the president of the MCSSTA, Augustine Nyormui reminded the Government of Liberia to implement the Educational Reform Act of 2012 that stipulated salaries for education professionals

The MCSSTA president named the stipulated salaries structure as Master Degree Holders US$ 525,BSC/BA Degree Holders US$375, Associate Degree and B-Certificate Holders,US$185 C –Certificate Holders US$160. And other employees including janitors/custodian/ securities US$145.

“We will reconcile the employees of the system, protect and defend the labour rights of all employees regardless of status, maintain professionalism and maintain good working relationship with all authorities including students,” said Nyormui.

Nyormui leadership promised to amend some laws in the association constitution to abort the reoccurrences of too many crises within the association comprising of professionals.

The inducted officials of MCSSTA were: Augustine Nyormui President, John Argbsson Vice President, Rufus Bryant, Vice President for Operations, Emmanuel Dickson Secretary.

Others  were:Mouna Sondah, Assistant Secretary,Samuel Russel, Financial Secretary, Paul Nardoh, Parliamentarian, Ruth Evans Treasurer and Philip Sayon Chaplain.

Monrovia – Classroom teacher Wilfred Gongloe died five years ago but his outstanding legacy as an educator is still insight.

On Saturday, December 5, 2020 his 51 years’ dedication as a classroom teacher that impacted the lives of many individuals was highlighted when a modern resource center was dedicated in honor of him and his late wife, Elizabeth Menquah Gongloe

The Wilfred Kehlebo Gongloe Educational Resource Center which contains an auditorium and a library was dedicated in Glehyee Zorpee, Yarwin Mehnsonon District in Nimba County on Saturday, December 5.

Residents of Glehyee and several other speakers who spoke during the program claimed that the resource center the first of its kind and will expose school-going children of Glehyee and adjacent towns and beyond to quality education.

Cllr. Taiwan Saye Gongloe, the elder son who gave the overview of the project said, his family decided to build the resource center after his father’s demise for the services he rendered to his children, people of Glehyee and that of Nimba County in the area of education.

“My father at the time he was alive always encouraged people to go to school because education is the surest way to get out of poverty,” said Gongloe who says the center was built solely by the Gongloe family to honor their father for the suffering he undertook to educate his children.

The human right lawyer who is also president of the Liberian National Bar Association lauded the people of Glehyee and other areas who assisted in the construction and encouraged youths to take advantage of the resource center.

The LNBA president stated in the not too long distant future, books, and computers will be installed at the library where children of Glehyee will have the opportunity to learn computer science.

County Education Officer of Nimba County Moses Dologbay who also spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Education lauded the Gongloe family for the project and pledged government support to the resource center and challenged the students of Glehyee to make use of the library.

Nimba County senatoria candidate Edith Gongloe-Weh stated that the resource center was not the Gongloe’s development but development for the people of Glehyee, Nimba and that of Liberia.

“I said during the senatorial debate in Tappita recent if elected Senator of Nimba County, I will craft a bill for government to allot 15% of its budget to education’ said the Nimba County only female candidate.”

Several persons made pledges to the project to include, Harrison Karnwea, US$500.00, Siaka Toure, CEO, Aminata&Sons US$ 500.00, Sekou Bility US$200.00, Cllr. James E. Pierre US$500.00, and Cllr. Oswald Tweh US$500.00 while according to Cllr. Gongloe the Fulani Community through its President Abraham Sangare had agreed to provide solar panels to the resource center.

The late Wilfred Kehlebo Gongloe was born June 5, 1922 in Glehyee Zorpee and died on April 2, 2015. He started in 1964.

Monrovia – Former Defense Minister Brownie Samukai, convicted of economic sabotage, is now free to contest the December 8, 2020 Senatorial Election in Lofa County.

Samukai got the green light on Tuesday to contest when the Supreme Court denied a petition filed against his registration by Korvah Jorgbor seeking the Supreme Court to pronounced him ineligible for the Lofa County upcoming senatorial elections due to his conviction by the lower court.

Jorgbor through his lawyer Cllr. Thompson Jarba took an appeal to the Supreme Court in October 2020 against the Board of Commissioners of the National Elections Commission (NEC) decision to dismiss his challenge against Samukai.

The NEC Board of Commissioners claimed that Jarba’s petition to the Board was filed against the election laws that says that Jarba failed to perfect his appeal within two days in keeping with the 2020 Candidate nomination procedures promulgated by NEC.

Jarba, prior to the NEC Board of Commissioners’ decision to dismiss his petition, told FrontPageAfrica judicial reporter that the action of the Board of Commissioners to dismiss his request was wrong and therefore was going to take an appeal to the high court for redress.

“NEC action is unjust we will not sit here and see someone who is convicted to come out to contest for senatorial seat only the Supreme Court will inteprete the law” said Jarba.

Reacting to Jarba’s claim, lawyer representing Samukai responded that Jarba wants to circumvent the election law.

“The election law says that failure on the part of challenger to perfect an appeal warrants dismissal,” said Cllr. Augustine Fayiah.

Chief Justice Francis Korkpor reading out the Bench’s opinion on the matter on stated that having carefully reviewed the records, heard the arguments and contentions advanced by the counsels representing the parties considered the laws cited and relied upon, it was adjudged that NEC is an autonomous regulatory body of government charged with the responsibility to conduct public elections in the Republic of Liberia.

The Chief Justice added that the NEC has the further responsibility to develop regulations, guidelines and procedures governing processes leading to elections and as such regulations, guidelines and procedures, if not in conflict with the Constitution or statutes of Liberia are binding and carry the force and effect of law.

According to the Chief Justice, the Election Law makes no provision for pre-election complaints, challenges and appeals, pursuant to the authority given to NEC to develop regulations, guidelines and procedures governing processes leading to elections, the NEC promulgated the regulation on candidate nomination which provides that a challenger or the challenged aspirant/candidate may appeal a decision from the Board of Commissioners of NEC to the Supreme Court within two days of said decision.

He stated further that the provisions of the Elections Law directing that an appeal be taken from the Board of Commissioners of NEC to the Supreme Court in seven days apply to post elections challenges and not a pre-election challenge to a candidate nomination as in the instant case.

Chief Justice Korkpor continued that the failure of Jarba to perfect his appeal within two days in keeping with the 2020 Candidate Nomination Procedures promulgated by NEC is a proper ground for the dismissal of the said appeal.

“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing the ruling of the Board of Commissioners of NEC dismissing the appellants’ appeal is affirmed, the Clerk of Court is hereby ordered to send a mandate to the National Elections Commissions to proceed and enforce its ruling from hence this appeal emanated, costs are ruled against the appellants, it is so ordered,” Chief Justice Korkpor stated.

Former Defense Minister Samukai, Former Deputy For Administration Joseph Johnson and Former Comptroller Nyumah Dorkor were found guilty by the lower court on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 for theft of property, misused of public money and criminal conspiracy

All three Defendants who have gone on trial for soldiers pension money were asked to restitute the amount of US$687,656.38 to Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) pension savings account and US$460,000 to the Government account.

Monrovia – The Supreme Court on Thursday, October 28, 2020 ruled and shifted blame on lawmakers for violating the Constitution relating to the holding of by-elections for the replacement of Montserrado County District 9 and Sinoe County District 2 Representatives.

The Supreme Court’s ruling came as the result of a petition for a Writ of Mandamus filed by the Collaborating Political Parties (CPP) that is made of the former ruling Unity Party (UP), Alternative National Congress (ANC), the Liberty Party (LP) and the All Liberian Party (ALP).

In their petition which was filed against the National Election Commission (NEC) as 1st respondent, National Legislature, 2nd respondent and the Executive Branch of Government 3rd respondent, the opposition political parties called on the Supreme Court to issue an alternative writ that would have compelled the NEC to hold the by-election to  replace  fallen lawmakers, Nagbe Sloh (CDC) Sinoe County District #2 and Munah Pelham Youngblood (CDC) Montserrado County #9 in line with Article 37 of the 1986 Constitution.

Article 37 of the 1986 Constitution provides that in case of vacancy in the House as the result of death, resignation and impeachment, the House of Representatives through the office of the Speaker shall notify the National Election in the period of 30 days and that by-election for that vacant seat shall take place within the period of 90 days.

In the instant case with the two fallen lawmakers, the CPP writ of Mandamus stated that the NEC in fragrant violation of the law failed to conduct the by-election in the time frame of the law as required. They added that setting December 8, 2020 for the by-election, far exceeds the time of by-election which by law should have been held on October 28, 2020.

The CPP continued that the Executive Branch of Government which is the third respondent in the writ by law is required to provide the necessary funding for the conduct of election in the country including by-election.

However, in the wake of the CPP’s petition to the high court   Associate Justice Jamesette Howard Wolokollie who was designated by Chief Justice Francis Korkpor to read out the court’s opinion stated that it was the House of Representatives that violated the Article 37 of the Constitution.

Associate Justice Wolokollie added that Sinoe County District #2 Representative Nagbe Sloh died on June 10, 2020 while Representative Munah Pelham Youngblood died on July 8, 2020  and instead, the House of Representative  chose to notify  the NEC on September 10,2020 about the existing of the two vacancies.

According to the Associate Justice Wolokollie, the time frame since the death of Representative Sloh was 72 days while for Representative Munah Pelham Youngblood was 64 days, thus far exceeding the 30-day period as required by law.

She added that the holding of by-election was not based on discretion but rather a constitutional mandate.

The House of Representatives had argued that the Supreme Court does not have the power to review its work. However, Justice Wolokollie noted that, the Supreme Court, pursuant to the constitutional power of review, has jurisdiction over all cases whether emanating from courts of record, courts of non- record, administrative agencies, autonomous agencies or any other authority both as to law and fact and that the Legislature shall make no law nor create any exceptions as would deprive the Supreme Court of any powers granted to it under the Constitution.

Justice Wolokollie stated that the exercise of its jurisdiction, the Supreme Court or its justice sitting in Chambers may cite, command, summon, mandate, order or instruct party litigants to do or refrain from doing any act, including the issuance of the alternative writ of mandamus directed to the Legislative and the Executive Branches.

“That notwithstanding our position that, Mandamus will not lie; we take note however, that the delays in the conduct of by-elections to fill vacancies in the Legislature negatively impact and undermine the exercise of the right of the people to representation in the governance of the country, a right enshrined in the Constitution of Liberia. Institutions of government are, therefore, obliged to strictly  adhere to timelines set by the Constitution and other laws for the conduct of by elections,” said Wolokollie.

 Associate Wollokollie continued that the Writ of Mandamus will not lie against NEC as NEC set the by-elections time whine 90 days after receiving nonfiction from the presiding officer of the House of Representatives as mandated by the Constitution.

Again, Justice Wolokollie stated that the 2nd respondent the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, had already notified the NEC of the vacancies in the House of Representatives occasioned by the deaths of Honorable Sloh and Munah Youngblood before the filing of this petition for mandamus as such there was no duty left to be performed since the extraordinary writ of mandamus is not intended to correct the late performance of any official duty.

As for the Executive Branch of Government Associate Wolokollie indicated that there is no showing of any dereliction or non-performance of an official duty to warrant the issuance of the writ of mandamus.

“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing, the alternative writ of mandamus is squashed and the peremptory writ is denied,” Justice Wolokollie stated.

The chairman of the CPP, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings, told reporters at the Temple of Justice that the CPP would meet as a body and make a decision on their next course of action.

Monrovia – Chief Justice Francis Korkpor has asked the Grievance and Ethics Committee of the Judiciary to investigate the allegation of ethical misconduct of Cllr. Ndubusi Nwabudike, the current head of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC).

The directive was issued by the Chief Justice on September 17, 2020 through a written communication.

Chief Justice Korkpor’s directive came as the result of a formal complaint filed by the leadership of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) through its president, Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe, against the LACC boss for his “defiant” posture by challenging his expulsion by the LNBA.

The Chief Justice’s communication reads:

Dear Cllr. Gongloe,

 I acknowledge receipt of your complaint dated September 14, 2020 against Cllr. A. Ndubusi Nwadubike and wish to inform you that I have forwarded same to the Grievance and Ethics Committee to conduct an investigation into the matter and submit findings to me”.

Cllr. Nwadubike was expelled on April 3, 2020 by the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) through a two-third majority vote by the Executive Committee of the LNBA after investigation into report that he being a Nigerian by birth had claimed a Liberian citizenship through fraud when there was no record from the Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) or the court to show that he obtained a Liberian citizenship in 1980 as claimed by him.

Upon his expulsion by the LNBA, Nwadubike filed a formal petition for a Writ of Prohibition to the then Justice-In-Chamber Jamesette Wolokollie asking her to issue an alternative writ of prohibition against the decision of the LNBA to expel him.

His lawyer, Cllr. Johnny Momoh, argued that the decision of the LNBA to expel his client was unlawful as it is the Supreme Court that has the responsibility to expel any lawyer in the country.

Cllr. Momoh further argued that it was wrong for the LNBA to investigate Cllr. Nwabudike over his citizenship and that the LNBA has no authority to do such as it is the Justice Ministry which has the statutory responsibility to investigate him over his citizenship.

Cllr. Wilkins Wright arguing for the LNBA told the Supreme Court Justice-In-Chamber Wolokollie that petition for the writ of prohibition prayed for Cllr. Nwabudike was wrongly filed therefore the Supreme Court, as such, the Justice-In- Chamber could not hear petition that was wrongly filed and any attempt for her to hear Nwabudike petition could be unlawful.

Cllr. Gongloe who also argued for LNBA stated that the LNBA as an institution with its own rules that govern its members and has the right to punish its member that is found liable for any unlawful act as Nwabudike

“This is a man who forged Liberian citizenship and lied under oath during his confirmation at the Liberian Senate, we took this decision to safeguard the credibility and dignity of the law profession in Liberia,” Cllr. Gongloe argued.

Following the arguments Justice Wolokollie declined to issue the writ of prohibition prayed for by Cllr. Nwabudike prayed for against his expulsion by the LNBA.

Upon the refusal of Associate Justice Wollokollie to issue the alternative writ, Cllr. Nwabudike moved to the Civil Law Court “A” at the Temple of Justice where he filed a new writ for declaratory judgment.

Monrovia – The President of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA), Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe, has urged foreign missions in Liberia to stay away from the ongoing national anti-corruption conference organized by Cllr. N. Ndubusi Nwabudike, head of the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission whom Cllr. Gongloe has described as “corrupt”.

The LNBA recently rejected an invitation to the conference which was scheduled for September 16-17.

The Bar had expelled the LACC Chairman on the basis of fraud after it established that he ‘fraudulently’ presented himself as a Liberian to obtain membership with the Bar.

Cllr. Gongloe also called on donors not to fund the Commission as long as Cllr. Nwabudike remains the head.

“I am calling all foreign partners not to attend or give a dime to that conference because its Nwadubike corrupt,” Cllr. Gongloe said.

He said, President Weah would remove Cllr. Nwabudike from the LACC if he is serious about the fight against corruption. He added that Cllr. Nwabudike lacks the moral to fight corruption.

Cllr. Gongloe maintained that the Bar would not cooperate with the LACC once Cllr. Nwabudike continues to head the entity which is considered as the nation’s foremost anti-graft institution.

He explained that the Act creating the LACC calls for the chairman to be Liberian citizen, yet it has been proven that Cllr. Nwabudike is a Nigerian who forged his Liberian citizenship.

Cllr. Nwabudike’s alleged fraud came to light when he struggled to prove his nationality before the Liberian Senate when he was nominated to serve as chairman of the National Elections Commission.

It was the third time he was being nominated to a high-profile post by President George Weah.

Cllr. Nwabudike was first appointed to serve as Chairman of the Governance Commission, followed by his nomination and subsequent appointment to the LACC.

However, his apparent luck of slipping through the cracks came to an end when he was named to head the country’s electoral body ahead of a major senatorial election.

At his confirmation hearing, Cllr. Nwabudike, a Nigerian, presented documents that carried multiple dates of birth, including his passports.

This prompted the Liberia National Bar Association of which he was a member at the time to launch an investigation into the matter.

In its findings, the LNBA established the following:

On April 3, 2020, the Liberian Immigration Service wrote a letter informing the Grievance and Ethics Committee that it did not have any record on Cllr. Nwabudike legal residency status or naturalization in Liberia;

On April 6, 2020, the Committee obtained a clerk certificate from the Clerk of the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “B” Temple of Justice, informing it that it had no record about Cllr. Nwabudike’s residency or naturalization status;

From documents obtained from the Senate Confirmation hearings of Cllr. Nwabudike and the pleadings in the record of the Civil Law Court on a petition for declaratory judgment filed by him, the Grievance and Ethics Committee found the following inconsistent information:

A purported certificate of naturalization presented to the Liberian Senate by Cllr. Nwabudike showed that he was issued same by Criminal Court “B” at the Temple of Justice on May 13, 1982, when in fact that court was called the People’s Criminal Court “B” during the regime of the People’s Redemption Council (PRC), thereby creating more doubt;

A perusal of His various passports showed his birth dates as October 19, 1960, October 2, 1963, October 2, 1965 and October 2, 1969;

His 2004 Liberian Passport carries his date of birth as October 2, 1963 and his name as A. Nkwuka Ndubuisi Nwabudike, instead of the name that appears on the roster of the Liberian National Bar Association and Supreme Court Bar which is A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike;

His Liberian National Identification card carries his date of birth as October 2, 1969 and his name as A. Ndubuisi Nkwuka Nwabudike; and

His application for marriage certificate dated January 22, 1992, filled by himself in handwriting carries his name as A. Ndubuisi Nwabudike, his date of birth as October 19, 1960 and his nationality as Nigerian;

The Bar then concluded: “In view of the information received from the Liberia Immigration Service and First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “B” that there is no record to support Cllr. Nwabudike’s claim of Liberian citizenship, the existence of information showing gross inconsistency in his dates of birth and names, as well as, the fact that in his application to the Marriage Registry, he declared in his own handwriting in 1992  that he was a Nigerian Citizen,  the only valid, logical and common sense conclusion that could be reached by the Grievance and Ethics Committee was that he became a member of the Liberian National Bar Association through fraudulent means. It is a well-settled common law principle that fraud vitiates everything.”

Monrovia – A legal battle is expected to commence shortly at the Monthly and Probate Court at the Temple of Justice to determine the ownership of property of the late Edward Cassell, husband of Gospel Music Ambassador Marron Cassell.

Court records in the possession of FrontPageAfrica show that the two parties are claiming ownership of the property in the City of Paynesville.

One of the parties claiming the property is George S. Popel, who claimed to be the Attorney-in-Fact of the deceased – this means he has a transferred legal representation. The other party claiming ownership is Marron D. Cassell who is identified as a wife of the deceased.

A tussle over the late Cassell property came before the Court after the lawyer representing Marron Cassell wrote a letter of complaint alleging that Mr. Popel had illegal occupied the property.

Marron’s lawyer asked the court to compel Mr. Popel to give account of all monies and documents in his possession as it relates to the late Cassel properties. 

Cllr. Samuel Clark’s letter to the court dated June 25, 2020 indicated that based on information by Mr. Popel, a tenant of the Cassell Compound in Paynesville, has taken over the property thereby administrating same without any legal authority.

Another part of the letter stated that the action by the tenant is a strange practice of law and therefore the court should invite Mr. Popel to appear before it for a conference to present to prove his authority.

But reacting to the allegation, Popel’s lawyer, Atty.Leroy Gonqueh of the Cooperative Law Firm, informed the court that while the complaint of Marron Cassell was filed to the court, her letter of administration was still in the National Archive for registration.

Popel’s lawyer stated that Rule#21 of the rules for the governance of the Probate Court states that upon the demise of an interstate owner 30 days after his death, the curator shall file information in court bringing said fact to the attention of the judge where upon the court shall issue an order empowering the curator together with a representative of the deceased who shall be nearest in degree to the interstate to take true and correct inventory of the land but this was not done.

According to Popel’s lawyer, Edward Cassell died on April 6, 2020 and was buried on April 11,2020 in violation of rule 21. Marron Cassell petition to the probate court for letter of administration was on April 9 while the deceased body was still at the Alfred Butler Funeral Home and not even buried.

Atty. Gonqueh further alleged that Marron Cassell first name was Marron Dweh when she got married to the deceased and her name was changed to Marron Cassell.

He added that she met the deceased with his properties before the marriage and later abandoned the marital home, divorced the deceased and travel to America where she has been for the last 10 years and was married to another man and had a twin in her new relationship.