Monrovia – The official retirement of Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh on Monday was overshadowed by the conspicuous absence of senior officers from the Government and Legislative branches, sparking hypothesis of a silent protest — and attainable political payback.
By Willie N. Tokpah
The seats reserved for President Joseph N. Boakai, Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon and President Professional Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence are all empty all through the ceremony.
Yuoh, who reached the constitutionally mandated retirement age of 70, delivered her farewell tackle through the opening of the Supreme Courtroom’s August Time period. Historically, such ceremonies draw leaders from all three branches of presidency, symbolizing mutual respect and cooperation.
This time, lawmakers and high govt officers have been lacking — together with Justice Minister and Lawyer Basic Cllr. Oswald Tweh, Dean of the Supreme Courtroom Bar.
Analysts counsel the boycott could have been a response to an earlier snub in January, when Chief Justice Yuoh and different members of the judiciary have been absent from President Boakai’s Annual Message amid a tense political deadlock within the Home of Representatives.
Some authorized observers additionally level to dissatisfaction over controversial rulings throughout Yuoh’s tenure, whereas others see the transfer as a present of political muscle and an indication of deepening pressure among the many branches of presidency.
Regardless of the absence of high political figures, the courtroom was crammed with members of the authorized fraternity, the Liberia Nationwide Bar Affiliation, and overseas diplomats, who hailed Yuoh’s pioneering function as Liberia’s first post-war feminine Chief Justice and her many years of service.
As of press time, neither the Legislature nor the Government had defined their absence, leaving public debate over whether or not the incident alerts a widening rift or a symbolic political gesture with lasting implications.
