Court Clears Kouh to Contest LFA Election, But...

Monrovia, Liberia: The Civil Law Court of Liberia has granted Fassell Football Club President Cassell A. Kouh the constitutional right to contest the Liberia Football Association's (LFA) upcoming election, but its refusal to rule out certain eligibility clauses in the LFA Statutes has left Kouh's qualification fate for the electoral process in doubt.

Legal experts argue that although Kouh is granted the constitutional right, the court has declared it has no jurisdiction to decide on Articles 45.4 and 58.1 of the LFA Statutes, which state that "The President, Vice President, and Executive Committee Members shall not have been found guilty of a criminal offence."

These statutes, legal experts say could hunt Presidential Aspirant Cassell A. Kouh if included in the election guidelines.

Kouh was convicted for investment fraud in 2017 in the United States. His eligibility to contest has been strongly challenged under the LFA 2018 approved Statutes.

The Civil Law Court on Thursday, April 9, lifted the permanent injunction placed on the LFA elections and ordered petitioner Cassell A. Kouh to submit to the electoral process.

Assigned Judge Peter Gbeneweleh declared: "This Court hereby declares the rights of Petitioner Cassell Anthony Kouh to contest the LFA upcoming elections, and he should avail himself to the electoral process".

 "Wherefore and in view of the foregoing, this Court hereby declines jurisdiction over the constitutionality of the LFA 2018 approved statutes, same being cognizable before the Supreme Court of Liberia".

Following the ruling, LFA Legal Representative Cllr. Michael Jeke said Kouh's fate to contest remains unresolved.

He noted that Cassell A. Kouh could apply, but the statutes that could potentially bar him are still in place. Cllr. Jeke stated that if the LFA enforces these statutes, the matter will then take a new twist, and could only be decided by the Supreme Court.

The argument by Kouh's legal team to remove the 'criminal record clauses' from the LFA Statutes is pending determination before the Supreme Court.

LFA Legal Representative Jeke pointed out: "It is clear that the issues in the statutes are constitutional and are currently before the Supreme Court. So, the Civil Law Court cannot rule on them. His point is that he wants the court to remove that position from the guidelines, but the judge said he cannot do that because it is not within his purview."

"Every electoral process has rules and regulations. For example, if he is denied on that basis, he cannot come back here; only the Supreme Court can determine whether his constitutional rights were violated."

As the LFA prepares to proceed with its electoral process scheduled for April 18, 2026, many football stakeholders are now wondering whether Kouh's constitutional rights will align with the election guidelines under the LFA Statutes that remain untouched.

This is happening at a time when FIFA has warned Liberia of sanctions for perceived third-party or Civil Court interference in its football body elections dispute.