Monrovia – Representative J. Fonati Koffa has emphatically denied dispensing money on behalf of the Executive branch toward the impeachment of Associate Justice Kabineh J’aneh.
Cllr. Koffa, who is also head of the Judiciary Committee in the Lower House, responding to a FrontPageAfrica inquiry said those spreading the false information about him are being unfair.
“I must take this time and occasion to categorically deny that I have met any senator or distributed any money to anyone in an attempt to influence the results of the ongoing impeachment process. This is an unfortunate rumor disseminated by truth FM for its own purpose. I would normally refrain from commenting on rumors but feel the need to set the record straight in this one,” the lawmaker said.
The Grand Kru lawmaker’s denial comes in the wake of mounting speculations Thursday that the Executive branch of government has been throwing money around in hopes of securing the votes of at least 20 Senators to wrap up the impeachment of the Associate Justice.
Some nine Senators have already expressed their opposition to the impeachment and went on the record Thursday.
On Thursday, the nine Senators – Dr. Henrique Tokpah (Ind. Bong County), Oscar Cooper (Ind. Margibi County), Armah Jallah (NPP, Gbarpolu), Conmany Wesseh (UP, River Gee), Daniel Naathan (ANC, Gbarpolu), Steve Zargo (LP, Lofa) and Sando Johnson (NPP, Bomi) and Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence (LP, Grand Bassa) and Gbleh-Bo Brown(Independent, Maryland) all posed a united front in their quest to deny the impeachment.
In a joint statement Thursday, the Senators stated: “We the undersigned senators further not, with grave concern, that the position of the Senate on the Impeachment of Justice Kabineh M. Ja’neh was essentially but negatively influenced by the chairman of the Senate committee on judiciary, human Rights, Claims and petitions.”
The nine senators stated in their position statement stated that it is now public knowledge that the Senate position in the matter is constitutionally faulty, flawed, ill-advised and a result of confidence betrayal and one that is appear to be designed to serve a selfish interest.
The senators are also demanding that Senator Varney Sherman who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee to do the “most honorable thing” by resigning from the chairmanship of the committee to save the senate further and future embarrassment.
Some twenty Senators are reportedly set to vote against the impeachment. They include: Sen. Albert Chief- Grand Kru, Sen. Peter Coleman- Grand Kru, Sen. Francis Paye – River Cess, Sen. Dallas Gueh – River cess, Sen. Prince Johnson – Nimba, Sen. Thomas Grupee -Nimba, Sen. Alphonso Gaye – G. Gedeh, Sen. Marshall Dennis- G. Gedeh, Sen. Jim Tornolah – Margibi, Sen . Matthew Jaye – River Gee, Sen. Henry Yallah – Bong, Sen. H. Dan Morias – Mary Land, Sen. Morris Saytumah- Bomi, Sen. Saah Joseph- Montserrado, Sen. Varney Sherman – Cape mount, Edward Dagoseh – cape Mount, Sen. Milton Teahjay- Simone, Sen. George Tengbeh – Lofa, and Sen. Augustine Chea – Sinoe.
Justice J’aneh is accused of theft of property, illegal acquisition of property constituting abuse of power and misconduct by granting a petition that stopped government from accessing its revenue through the Road Fund from petroleum dealers.
The embattled Associate Justice and his team of lawyers have up to Friday 12: PM to maneuver among the twenty Senators and hopefully come up with the critical vote to safe his seat on the bench.
