MONROVIA – The outgoing Chairman of the Law Reform Commission (LRC), Cllr. Boakai N. Kanneh, has expressed gratitude to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai for nominating him as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.
By Augustus D.R bortue
Cllr. Kanneh’s nomination comes just hours after the Liberian Senate confirmed Justice Yarmie Quiqui Gbeisay as Chief Justice, replacing Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh, who retired upon reaching the constitutional age limit. If confirmed by the Senate, Cllr. Kanneh will fill the vacancy left by Justice Gbeisay’s elevation.
In a brief statement following his nomination, Cllr. Kanneh—widely regarded as a seasoned legal scholar and respected practitioner—pledged to serve with fairness, transparency, and accountability if confirmed.
“With humility and a deep sense of duty, I accept the nomination,” he said. “If confirmed, I will discharge my duties on the Supreme Court with fairness, transparency, and accountability, in full adherence to the Constitution and laws of Liberia.”
Who Is Cllr. Boakai N. Kanneh?
Cllr. Kanneh currently heads the Law Reform Commission, the agency responsible for reviewing and modernizing Liberia’s legal framework. He brings to the bench decades of experience across public service, private legal practice, and academia—credentials seen as timely and critical to strengthening the judiciary.
His public service record includes:
- Deputy Minister for Legal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Deputy Commissioner for Naturalization, Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization
- Public Defender, Judiciary of Liberia
- Special Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture
- Field Service Officer, Special Emergency Life Food Program (SELF)
In academia, Cllr. Kanneh is an Assistant Professor of Law at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, where he teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Torts, and Legislative Drafting. He also lectures at the Gabriel L. Dennis Foreign Service Institute and the IBB Graduate School of International Studies.
In the private legal sector, he previously served as:
- Assistant Counsel, Sherman & Sherman, Inc.
- Legal Associate, Verdier & Associates Law Firm
Cllr. Kanneh holds an LL.M. in Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, and Constitutional Law from the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University, USA. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Liberia.
If confirmed, Cllr. Kanneh’s elevation to the Supreme Court is expected to bring legal expertise, academic rigor, and a strong commitment to reform—hallmarks that may prove pivotal as Liberia’s judiciary faces growing demands for independence and credibility.
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