Court Denies Samukai From Taking Seat

MONROVIA-The Supreme Court of Liberia has upheld a petition from the government of Liberia seeking to stop the certification of Lofa County Senator Elect Brownie Samukai.

According to Chief Justice Francis Korkpor, Senator Elect Brownie Samukai cannot be certificated until he is clear by Criminal Court “C” at the Temple of Justice.

Chief Justice Korkpor added that the two years suspended sentence given to former defense minister Samukai cannot undo the court’s verdict, as, such the National Election Commission should stop his certification.

The government earlier asked the Supreme Court to issue an alternative writ of prohibition and ordered the National Elections Commission (NEC) not to certificate the Lofa County Senatorial Candidate as winner on grounds that he is a convicted Criminal.

Former minister Samukai who won the December 8, 2020 Senatorial election in Lofa County, was indicted along with his two former deputies Joseph Johnson, J. Nyumah Dorbor for theft of Property, misappropriation, economic sabotage ,and Criminal Conspiracy.

In March 2020, Criminal Court ‘C’ found Samukai and his two deputies guilty of corruption, but Defense Lawyers took exception and announced an Appeal to the Supreme Court that later upheld the lower court ruling.

The defendants were given a two years suspended sentenced with a mandate to pay fifty percent of the said amount in government coffers or risk going to jail.

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