Liberia: Bong County Bar Association Wants President Weah Withdraw Cllr. Tweh Wesseh Nomination as Resident Judge in Bong County over Residency Requirement
Monrovia – Barely one week after the nomination of Cllr. Tweh Wesseh as Resident Judge of Criminal Court “E” of the 9th Judicial Circuit for Bong County by President George Weah, the Bong County Bar Association is calling for his withdrawal on ground of the residency requirement in their constitution and statutory law.
A release from the Bong County Bar Association signed by Secretary General Bestman D. Juah on Tuesday states that the President has the constitutional prerogative to appoint members of the Executive Branch of Government and as well as members of the Judiciary Branch of Government; but such appointment of members of the latter is not without guidance from the statutory laws of the Land.
According to the Bong County Bar Association, the framers of their constitution and statutory laws intended that the appointment of judges will be done within what they termed as ambit of the law
The Bong County Bar Association says that the New Judiciary Law is the controlling framework within which the Liberian Leader must be guided when exercising his constitutional duty to fill vacant positions within the Judiciary Branch of Government adding that Chapter 3, Section 3.7 of the New Judiciary Law provides such.
The group states: “According to Chapter 3, Section 3.7 of the New Judiciary Law, no person shall be appointed or hold office as judge of a circuit court who has not been a citizen of Liberia, for at least five years immediately prior to his appointment, who shall not have attained the age of twenty-five years, who is not an attorney licensed to practice and who has not engaged in the active practice of law for at least five years next preceding his appointment, and except for the persons appointed as relieving judges, who is not a resident of the county in which the circuit court to which he is appointed, is located.”
“The Bong County Bar observes that the nominee, Cllr. Tweh Wesseh, has not met the residency requirement of the quoted statute. Accordingly, the Bong County Bar respectfully requests His Excellency President George Manneh Weah to withdraw the nomination of Cllr. Tweh Wesseh as Resident Judge designate of Criminal Court “E” of the 9th Judicial Circuit for Bong County in keeping with the provision of the statute cited supra,” the release quoted.
The group added: “The Bong County Bar joins the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) in calling on His Excellency President George Manneh Weah to withdraw the nomination of Cllr. Tweh Wesseh as Resident Judge of Criminal Court “E” in Bong County.”
Also, the Bong County Bar says it remains law-abiding adding that they will engage leaders of Bong County as well as the Judiciary to ensure that the full intent of the law is adhered to.