Liberia: Supreme Court Associate Justice-Designate Says He’s Not Aware of the Constitutionality of the Law Requiring Assets Declaration

Monrovia — Judge Yarmie Quiqui Gbeissay, the man who is poised to take on the position of Associate Justice of the Supreme Court has claimed not to be aware of the law requiring him to declare his assets while taking on his new role as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.

In a response to a question from Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe on whether the Justice-designate is tax compliant and has declared his assets? He claimed to be in tax compliance but said he will declare his assets if the law requires him to do so.

“I am tax compliant but I haven’t declared my assets but I will do so if the law requires me to do so,” Judge Yarmie Quiqui Gbeissay told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

He made the statement when he appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for confirmation hearing.

In 2021, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) mandated all government officials to declare their assets by July 2021.

The LACC is an autonomous arm of government responsible to look into all corruption issues in government.

The LACC’s mandate was made on Freedom Radio Tuesday June 1, 2021 clearly telling officials of government to make known what they have as individuals serving in the Liberian government.

Authorities at the institution said declaration of government officials assets will help the LACC to carry out their duties and functions in helping to minimize corruption in governmental cycle.

Since President George Weah became president in 2018, most of his officials are yet to make know their assets something with contravenes laws of Liberia thus causing a setback to the work of the LACC.

The fight against corruption is being delayed according to the LACC authorities because they are yet to announce what they had since they became officials of government.

LACC indicated that any official of government refusing to declare their assets will face the full punishment of the laws.

The jurisdiction of the LACC extends to all public sector agencies in Liberia and employees, including government departments, local’s councils, members of Parliament, ministers, the judiciary and government.

Days after the Senate confirmed Associate Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, President George Manneh Weah appointed Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay as Associate Justice at the Supreme Court of Liberia.

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