MONROVIA – The Coalition of Islamic Organizations has announced a protest duped ‘Operation Save the Judiciary’ in a bid to halt the impeachment proceedings against Justice Kabineh Ja’neh.
It comes days after the political group, the Economic Freedom Fighters of Liberia (EFFL) rallied citizens and organizations to stage a mass protest with the same name “Operation save the Judiciary” against the impeachment trial that is currently taking place at the Liberian Senate.
At a press conference on Sunday, February 24, the Coalition of Islamic Group revealed that the protest will be staged on February 28, 2019 at the grounds of the Capitol.
In a statement read by Shaykh Mohammed Konneh, the group noted that “attempts to impeach Justice Ja’neh are not only unconstitutional, but lack all legal basis for conviction and are, in reality, carefully contrived devices employed to belittle our judicial system and make mockery of our constitution.”
“The Coalition of Islamic Organizations is unapologetic to condemn the irrational, self-centered, ill-feted and illegal impeachment proceedings and votes demonstrated by pocket followers and dunk funded members of the House of Representatives,” the group condemns.
It added: Emphatically with no regrets, the Coalition of Islamic organizations distance the interest of the masses from said actions using this medium and other national and international mediums in sending a strong caveat to the President that there are people who are prepared to resist the uneasy plans as well as to vigorously prevent every attempt that has the propensity to disparage the rule of law and integrity of the Honorable Supreme Court. It is a gross disrespect to the very court you ran to yesterday.”
“Summary of Facts”
In the bill of impeachment by the House of Representatives, Justice Ja’neh was accused of overstepping his powers and using the laws at the detriment of ordinary citizens including the late Austin Clark and Annie Y. Constance.
But the group, in defense of Justice Ja’neh in the cases noted that Justice Ja’neh acted in the confines of the law and as such he cannot be persecuted as provided by the Constitution of Liberia.
The group, among other things called on the President to intervene urgently in the resolution of the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Justice Ja’neh which is undermining Liberia’s hard-earned democracy and international reputation.
This action on the part of the Legislature, according to the group, could ‘invite poverty to live with us’ because international organizations and donors consider good governance and the rule of law as prerequisites for receiving aid towards national development agenda which is the goal of the Weah-led government.
With the latest unfolding developments in Liberia, the group noted that this government should be interested in the key issues that matter, but rather the Legislature’s action is solely undermining the integrity and reputation of the country.
It then called on the three branches of government, Liberia’s international partners and the religious community to take an honorable stance against the impeachment of Justice Ja’neh because “it is an attempt to derail our judicial system and put us into a constitutional blunder which is a recipe for bad governance.”
Meanwhile, the National Muslim Council of Liberia has called for an immediate halting of all aspects of the impeachment proceedings and allow the Traditional Council of Chiefs and Elders and the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia to intervene in the interest of peace and development.
The council also called on the Legislature to adhere to the constitutional provision which requires that a judge cannot be prosecuted for his opinion.
Ignoring this provision, the Council said violates the constitution and the doctrine of Separation of Power.
It added that to observe, “respect and uphold the independence of the Judiciary which is indispensably relevant to sustaining the rules of law, our fledgling democracy and the progress and viability of our broken economy. No peaceful coexistence, no credible democratic election elections and no attractive investment climate can exist in society where the judiciary is not independence or free to play its role.”
The group warned that if the impeachment trail goes ahead, it will serve as a dangerous precedence which will erode the age long confidence that have been reposed in the judicial system and the rule of law.
According to the Council, all of the cases mentioned in this proceedings are cases that were adjudicated in accordance with the law which were resolved and finalized by some of the same justices who are now spear heading the impeachment proceeding against Associate Justice Ja’neh.