Monrovia-March-6-TNR:How Boakai handles his first Supreme Court nomination which is considered as one of the President’s most serious constitutional responsibilities could prove crucial to his promises to ensure efficiency within the justice system.
Will he pick of Cllr. Jallah A. Barbu as Associate Justice following the death of Associate Justice Joseph N. Nagbe, has been the baffling question on the minds of legal pundits as the search for a new Associate Justice continues.
In his first state of the nation address, President Joseph Boakailamented over the manner in which justices of the Supreme Court have dispense justice in the country.
“Our justice system which meant to protect the innocent and punished the guilty has been marred by inefficiency, corruption, and lack of public trust,” President Joseph Nyuma Boakai noted during his inauguration.
With the death of late Associate Justice Joseph Nagbe, the President is considering several candidates to replace the late Justice Nagbe.
One of such persons to be considered by Boakai is Cllr. Dr. Jallah A. Barbu, Dean of the Louise Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia, according to a source familiar with the vetting process.
Counselor Barbu is the Senior Consulting Counsel-Public Interest Law Office (PILO) from 2018-present. He was admitted as Counselor-At-Law as member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of Liberia in 2006.
He is currently serving as the senior fellow of the Center for Constitutional Democracy (CCD) Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405.
2018-present: Executive Director Institute for Constitutional Research, Policy & Strategic Development.
He holds a Doctor of Judicial Science (Constitutional Law) from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana from 2009 to 2012.
2006 to 2008: Master of Laws (Thesis-Constitutional Law) Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, Indiana.
1997-2001: Bachelor of Law (LLB-Hons.) Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, Monrovia-Liberia. 1985-1990: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Accounting (Minor in Management) College of Business & Public Administration University of Liberia, Monrovia-Liberia.
Dr. Barbu has served as the first Vice Chair at the Law Reform Commission of Liberia from 2009-2011. In 2011, Cllr. Barbuwas appointed by President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as Chairman of the Law Reform Commission.
Dr. Barbu has provided significant legal advice over the period of more than ten years to the offices of the president and vice president of Liberia to the Liberian Legislature, mainly the Speaker and President Pro-Tempore; and has been selected as amicus curiae by the Honorable Supreme Court in a number of cases.
Dr. Barbu is currently serving as a member of the Review Committee appointed by the Honorable Supreme Court undertaking a review of the Rules of Procedures in court and Code of Moral and Professional Ethics and the Judicial Canons Governing Lawyers and Judges respectively.
Cllr. Kabina Ja’neh is one of the legal luminaries Liberians are considering for the Associate Justice position to replace the late Associate Justice Joseph N. Nagbe. Justice Ja’neh previously served as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia before being removed by members of the Legislature following an impeachment indictment brought against him by some members of the House of Representatives something many still consider as illegal.
The former Associate Justice following the ruling by then Chief Justice Francis Korkpor, who presided over the Liberian Senate in the impeachment case, took an appeal to the ECOWAS Court for redress.
ECOWAS Court following legal battle, ruled that Justice Ja’nehbe restated and receive all his benefits which the CDC Government denied him. The ruling qualifies Justice Ja’neh to be appointed on the Supreme Court beach once more again if preferred by the President.
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