Hundreds of supporters of embattle Lofa county Senator-Elect Brownie Samukai on Thursday stage protest across the county demanding the certification of the Mr. Samukai by the National Elections Commission.
The protest took place concurrently in Zorzor, Voinjama and Foyah Districts. About seven people were arrested including six males and one female but the arrested Samukai supporters has since been released.
Supporters of the Lofa County Senator Elect marched to the administrative Compound in Zorzor, Voinjama and Foyah to draw the attention of local authorities whom they said are direct representation of the government in the county to their growing frustration over the delay in certificating their Senator-Elect.
In Voinjama, the Provision capital city of the Lofa, protesters lock the Administrative building and prevented local authorities from accessing the building. There were report of an intrusion from the supporters of defeated candidate Joseph Kpator Jallah.
The protest comes days before deadline given by the Supreme Court for the restitution of 50% of the US$ 1.1 million AFL pension fund that the court said was misapplied by Mr. Samukai and two others draws closer.
The Supreme Court of Liberia in February this year upheld the lower court’s ruling against Senator-elect J. Brownie Samukai and two other co-appellants and sentenced them to two years in prison each for misapplication of US$1.1 million intended for the Armed Forces of Liberia, but the Court ruled that the prison terms could be suspended if the convicts restitute 50 percent of the fund within six months and make full payment within a year.
The Court however ruled that guilty verdict had nothing to do with Mr. Samuaki political life.
But Mr. Samukai a firebrand former Defense Minister have always maintained that he acted on the instruction of his former boss then Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Liberia former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Supreme Court Justices Joseph Nagbe granted a government petition to halt his Mr. Samukai Certification by the National Elections Commission, on grounds that he is yet to satisfied his obligation, but Samuaki lawyers took appeal to the full bench of the supreme Court with a ruling still pending.
What has been said
Citizen of Lofa County in Solidarity with Senator-Elect Jeffery Brownie Samukai congratulated the protesters for what they say was defending the constitution by asking the Government of Liberia to speedily certificate a constitutionally-elected Senator.
The Samukai support group described the action of the protesters as love for county and must never go unnoticed and urged them to see their Thursday July 29,2021 action as the beginning of the struggle to defend their votes with every power both politically and legally.
The group call on citizens of Lofa to rise up and join all forces in defense of justice in ensuring that the mandate of the people of Lofa County in December 8, 2020 remains untouched.
They paid special tribute to those who were arrested, detained and allegedly tortured in defense of the mandate of their people.
It is less than 48 hours the supreme Court deadline and supporters and those who oppose Mr. Samukai certification as holding their nerves as to what will happen in hours.
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