Monrovia – The ECOWAS Court of Justice has rescinded its decision to hold a seminar in Liberia, following the suspension of the license of its Vice President, Justice Micah Wilkins Wright, by the Supreme Court of Liberia last Friday, February 17.
Report by Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo, [email protected]
The seminar, which was expected to be held from February 19-25, was intended to give stakeholders of the Liberian Judiciary an understanding of the operations of the regional court.
Earlier this month, Justice Wright, accompanied by three other justices of the ECOWAS Court, visited Liberia and held close door meeting with Justices of the Supreme Court, during which they agreed to hold a seminar in Liberia.
Wright informed the Bench that the intent of the ECOWAS Court coming to Liberia was to bring the Court closer to member states.
But the ECOWAS Commission in Monrovia confirmed to FrontPage Africa the seminar has been cancelled due to the suspension of Wright’s license by the Supreme Court.
According to the ECOWAS Commission, Wright, being a native of Liberia, should have led the delegation but could not play that role due to the predicament in his home country.
Justice Wright was found liable of breaching Rules 8 & 9 of the Moral and Ethical Conduct of Lawyers by obscuring his lawyer-client relationship with a former client of his while representing the government against the client in his capacity as Solicitor General of Liberia in which he conceded to a US$15.9 million judgment.
The Commission, however, could not confirm whether or not Justice Wright would continue serving on the bench of the regional court, but said his fate lies in the hands of Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Efforts to get the Ministry to comment on his suspension did not materialize up to press time Tuesday evening. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who chairs ECOWAS as well has been mute on the issue.
The Commission could also not confirm whether the seminar would be rescheduled.
ECOWAS Court-Member States Jurisdiction Conflict
Wright’s ascendancy to the regional court was believed by many as a step to fostering a cordial relationship between the ECOWAS Court and the Supreme Court of Liberia.
There has been debate on whether the ECOWAS Court has LOCUS STANDI and jurisdiction over cases and whether the sovereignty of a nation would not be breached if another court outside the country overruled the verdict of its Supreme Court.
Locus standi is the right or capacity to bring an action or to appear in a court.
The Supreme Court of Liberia has maintained that it cannot insubordinate itself to the ECOWAS Court.
In its recent opinion that found Wright liable of breaching rules of the Moral and Ethical Conduct of Lawyers, two other Liberian lawyers – Counselors Sayma Syrenius Sephas and Roland F. Dahn were warned for their failure to thoroughly peruse their case files as they would have discovered a sham to defraud government.
The Community Court of Justice was created pursuant to the provisions of Articles 6 and 15 of the Revised Treaty of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Its organizational framework, functioning mechanism, powers, and procedure applicable before it are set out in Protocol A/P1/7/91 of 6 July 1991, Supplementary Protocol A/SP.1/01/05 of 19 January 2005, Supplementary Protocol A/SP.2/06/06 of 14 June 2006, Regulation of 3 June 2002, and Supplementary Regulation C/REG.2/06/06 of 13 June 2006.
The Court is composed of seven (7) independent Judges who are persons of high moral character, appointed by the Authority of Heads of State of Government, from nationals of Member States, for a four-year term of office, upon recommendation of the Community Judicial council.
The Mandate of the Court is to ensure the observance of law and of the principles of equity and in the interpretation and application of the provisions of the Revised Treat and all other subsidiary legal instruments adopted by Community.