Report by Massa Kanneh_masskanneh4@gmail.com
MONROVIA: Associate Justice Yousouf Kaba of the Supreme Court of Liberia has concluded a conference on a Writ of Prohibition petition filed by suspended Unity Party Chairman Wilmot Paye.
Wilmot Paye, through his lawyer Arthur Johnson, filed a Writ of Prohibition on to the Justice in Chambers questioning his suspension by Unity Party Board.
Both Parties including Chairman Paye, his legal Counsel Arthur Johnson, including Unity Party Spokesman Mo Ali, and their Counsels attended the conference.
Associate Justice Kaba is expected to make determination in the case in due time on whether he should issue a Writ of Prohibition as requested by the suspended UP Chairman or not.
The Counselor Arthur Johnson told journalists that his client was not accorded due process.
Counselor Johnson maintained that Wilmot Paye’s suspension was illegal.
Well, is left with the discretion of the Justice in Chambers, but our argument and contention here is sample. You cannot suspend and subject to investigation without due process of law.
Any sanction, denial of rights or privilege, it must be consistent with due process of law.
If the party has a provision that says if you are suspended before you can be investigated, that provision of the Unity Party’s constitution is what we subjecting to judicial scrutiny.
However, Unity Party Spokesman Mo Ali said the chairman’s suspension was in accordance with the party laws.
Ali said the suspension could only last for two weeks, pending the outcome of the Board investigation.
According to Ali, Chairman Paye refused to honor or submit to the board investigation.
The Unity Party executive board suspended Wilmot Paye for two weeks to undergo investigation of complains brought against him for some unilateral decisions he took on behalf of the party.
The Chairman is the chairman of the party, and if you want to give the investigative committee a very free hand, he has to be recused from the chairmanship position.
Prior to the January 6 protest by the COP, Chairman Paye announced the Unity Party’s recusal from the planned anti government protest, at the same time calling on partisans of the party not to turn out for the protest.
