Court Orders Finance Minister Tweah Arrest
The Full Bench of the Supreme Court of Liberia has ordered the arrest of the living body of Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweh for Creating a Constitutional Crisis.
According to documents in possession of KNEWS, the court wants the Minister to show the cause why he shouldn’t be held in contempt for impeding the functions of the courts.
The Writ reads: “By directive of the full bench of the honorable Supreme Court, you are hereby commanded to arrest the living body of Samuel Tweh, minister, ministry of Finance & development planning, Republic of Liberia to show cause why he should be held in contempt of court for impeding the functions of the courts and creating a constitutional crisis for the Judiciary,”
The communication under the signature of the Chief Clerk of the Supreme Court Cllr. Sam Momolu is instructing the Marshall of the Supreme Court Brig. General Amos Dickson to ensure that the order of the court is fully executed.
“And for so doing this shall constitute your legal and sufficient authority,” the high court concluded.
It can be recalled that in November 2021 several aggrieved Judges of the National Association of Trial Judges of Liberia filed a lawsuit petition against the government of Liberia for what they described as the “wrongful and illegal abolition and withholding of their allowances, salaries, and benefits.
The aggrieved Judges stated, “Article 72(a) of the Constitution mandates that “…allowances and benefits paid to Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of subordinate courts may by law be increased but may not be diminished except under a national program enacted by the Legislature; nor shall such allowances and benefits be subject to taxation.
The new Chief Justice, Sie -A- Nyene Yuoh during her sitting address delivered at the opening of the Supreme Court said, “I am cognizant of the Judicial Financial Autonomy Act (2006), and the need to ensure strict compliance with these laws, and the debate surrounding the harmonization of the salaries of justices/judges.
According to some workers within the judicial system, they have not taken paid for months, despite being affected by the harmonization; and based upon that, had engaged the Chief Justice to express their dissatisfaction
