Monrovia – Gbarpolu County Senator Daniel Naatehn has written the Liberian Senate through Pro Tempore Albert Chie to invite Liberia’s Justice Minister Musa Dean and the Solicitor General, Cllr. Sayma Serenius Cephus for “unethical conduct and abuse of power.”
In the communication, Senator Naatehn, who serves as the current Chairman of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) said his request sprung from Cllr. Cephas’ alleged tell-it-all text message sent to Mr. Stanton Peabody, host of the popular Spoon Talk online and radio show during a live interview with ANC’s political leader Alexander Benedict Cummings.
According to Naatehn, Cllr. Cephus revealed that the arrest and indictment of him and others on charges of forgery and criminal conspiracy brought by the All Liberian Party (ALP) of Benoni Urey was orchestrated by Justice Minister Dean against his (Cllr. Cephus) advice on grounds that there was no evidence.
On Sunday, April 24, the Solicitor General stunned Messers Peobody and Cummings, as well as the audience of the show when he said his office had quashed the writ of arrest previously issued against the ANC political leader and party’s stalwarts; only to be ordered reissued by Minister Dean.
However, the Justice Minister has refuted the claim, saying, he has never been involved with the Cummings’ trial.
Cllr. Cephus whom the Justice Minister has accused of running a parallel ministry, claimed that it is only the Minister of Justice who has the constitutional backing to disagree or the government on the question of law and still keep his job and is also the only person who can order a matter to be dismissed.
However, in reaction to the Solicitor General, the Ministry of Justice on Monday issued a statement disclosing that the Minister has asked the Solicitor General to submit all evidence in the Cummings’ trial to his office.
The Justice Minister stated that his request is by Section 22.2 of the Executive Law, which states that it shall be the duty of the Minister of Justice to “procure the proper evidence for, and conduct, prosecute or defend all suits and proceedings in the courts in which the Republic of Liberia or any officer thereof, as to such officer, is a party of interest.”
Senator Naatehn said the Minister’s request for evidence from the Solicitor General comes nearly four months after the case had commenced in court; something he said was tantamount to harassment.
He informed the Pro Tempore and the Liberian Senate that contrary to the Solicitor General’s claim of quashing the case for lack of proper evidence, he has ascribed unto himself the powers of prosecutor, judge, and juror; handing down guilty verdict and describing him and others ANC stalwarts as criminals at multiple media appearances.
He stated that the actions of the two senior officials of the Ministry of Justice run contrary to the underlying purpose of criminal prosecution; adding, “it abuse the integrity of the Judicial system, and risk plunging Liberia’s struggling democracy into increased uncertainty and chaos.
The ANC Chairman also noted that it is malicious and intended to bring him into public disrepute and impede his function as a Senator.
He said: “Giving the above premises, I request that this body cause the two senior officials of the Ministry of Justice to appear and explain their actions and giver reasons why this body and the Liberian people should continue to repose confidence in their ability to properly and impartially discharge their functions and responsibilities.”