MONROVIA – Bomi County Senator Sando Johnson is calling for a recount of the ballots cast in the impeachment trial of the Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh.
Sen. Johnson believes the results announced that saw Justice Ja’neh being removed from the Supreme Court bench did not commensurate with the ballots cast.
In a communication to the presiding officer of the Senate on Tuesday, Sen. Johnson noted that nine of the 29 Senators declaring that the impeachment trial and the removal of Justice Ja’neh was unconstitutional, illegal and in gross violation of his right and will therefore not support his removal.
He noted in the communication that, Sen. Chie, being the foreman of the trial went ahead and conducted a vote which result was protested by him and other Senators.
“Barely few hours thereafter, Senator Prince Y. Johnson informed the Liberian people and the world that he and Senator Thomas Grupee, both of Nimba County voted against the impeachment of Justice Ja’neh.”
Sen. Johnson further contended that based on Sen. Johnson’s disclosure, he believes the ballots were tampered with and rigged.
“From the facts available, the Senate did not obtain the required two-thirds majority as required by the Constitution of Liberia to remove Justice Ja’neh. The truth, according to the math, is that 11 Senators voted against the impeachment and 18 Senators voted guilty on one count,” he noted in the communication.
Sen. Johnson added that there’s the need for a recount, ensuring the personal identification of each ballot showing how each Senator voted as was intended by the amended Senate Rule 63 Section 23. He urged that the recount be done in an open forum and the finding be made public.
Meanwhile, the Bomi County Senator has accused the Senate Pro-Tempore, Albert Chie, of wanting to take his life.
According to Sen. Johnson, he was insulted, assaulted and harassed on Friday, March 30, 2019 by the Pro-Temp in the presence of some Senators.
He alleged that the Pro-Temp threatened to order his security to drag him out of his office and beat him publicly.
“This outburst was simply because I had gone there (Sen. Chie’s office) with Senators Conmany Wesseh, Daniel Naatehn and Stephen Zargo to ascertain the veracity of our ballots since we doubted the outcome of the vote for the impeachment of Justice Ja’neh,” he explained in the communication.
According to Sen. Johnson, he now fears for his life and that of his family because of the outburst of the Pro-Temp.
“I believe that he intends to use his private security to harm me or even take my life. I trust that the national security assigned to him can never accept to be misused against me in that way,” he alleged.
He called on the Senate to investigate the attacks on him by the President Pro Tempore.
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