Monrovia, Liberia _Concern Lofa citizens residing in the Diaspora have accused the Liberian government of creating constitutional crisis after praying for an injunction on Certification Lofa County Senator Elect Brownie Jeffery Smaukai.
The Concern Lofa Citizens in the Diaspora mainly in the U.S. noted the government bears the full responsibility to resolve the situation with all deliberate speed as the people of Lofa County are constitutionally entitled to two senators.
The group in a released issued from the United States of America over the weekend says it regard the action of government to stall the certification of Mr. Samukai as a violation of the rights of the people of Lofa to full constitutional representation at the Legislature.
On December 8, 2020, the people of Lofa loudly at the ballot and such voice must be respected no matter how the government or anyone feels, the Concern Lofa County Citizens in the Diasporas noted.
According to them, the government of Liberia has, by all accounts thus far, nullified the voice of the people of Lofa County by denying them full senatorial representation without explanation nor a declarative statement regarding when this crisis will end.
The release quote the Diaspora Lofain group as saying; if the government of Liberia genuinely believes in representative government and the rule of law and reveres the constitution as the sacred document of the Republic, she must take the action necessary to bring the issue to immediate resolution noting anything short of that indicates that the government does not believe in representative constitutional government and therefore does not deserve the people’s trust.
Group disappointed in senior Lofains
The group at the same time mentioned that it is troubled and disheartened by the silence past and present leaders of Lofa County who have not spoken out or seek redress to what it termed as a serious constitutional injustice.
The Diaspora group urged Lofians regardless of Party affiliation to form a united front and to use the influence of their positions, endowed upon then by the people of Lofa County to serve their needs.
They called on all Liberians to join the people of Lofa County to urge the government to restore their rights to full senatorial representation as clearly stated in Article 45 of the Liberian Constitution.
“Today, it is Lofa County; 25, 50, or 100 years from now, it will be your county if we all do not address this governmental abuse of power”, the group is quoted as saying in the release.
The group expressed hope that the government will listen to the voices of Liberia, especially the people of Lofa County, to address this problem you have brought upon the county.
Lofa overwhelmingly vote Samukai
It is now 201 days and counting since the midterm election which saw the former Defense Minister overwhelmingly elected with over 20,000 votes by the people of Lofa County, but has not since seen his certification marked by petitions for injection from various groups.
These groups including the Movement for Progressive Change of businessman Simeon Freeman and the Government of Liberia argued that Mr. Samukai was not qualified to hold public office after been found guilty by criminal court “C” for misapplying AFL pension fund.
Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay of Criminal Court ‘C’ in March 2020 ruled that he and two of his co-defendants, Joseph P. Johnson, former Deputy Minister for Administration and James Nyumah Dorkor, former Comptroller of the Ministry of Defense guilty of the crimes of theft of property, misuse of public money and criminal conspiracy and awarded them separate prison terms.
Mr. Samukai was given a higher two-year prison sentence, while his co-defendants were given six months jail terms each but with a condition that their sentences shall be suspended if they all restitute the amount of US$1.1 million in question over a one-year period.
But the Defendants took appeal at the Supreme Court and they (serving now as appellants), justified that they acted in line with the Constitution and relevant laws.
They claimed that they acted on the orders of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to procure materials and render other services for the soldiers.
About US$50,000 was paid on the instruction of former President Sirleaf as death benefits to the families of the late General Abdurrahman, the Nigerian army officials who served as the first post war first Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Liberia, Samukai was quoted as saying
But the Supreme Court disagree and found them guilty with a mandate to pay US$1.1M; Half the Amount to be paid in six months or to Jail.
The Court however ruled that the ruling does not affect the political of Mr. Samukai.
As the hullabaloo continues, the former Defense Minister and others have a little over month to pay the 50% of the US$1.1 million or risk going to jail.
