Liberia: Capitol Building, Home Of Jungle Justice?

As Lawmakers Become Law Breakers

Ramsey N Singbeh Jr

director@news.throngtalk.com

+231772641146 / 880147358

Recent unforeseen circumstances at the grounds of the Capitol Building, the official work place of the Liberian Legislators have shown the Legislature becoming the home of ‘Jungle Justice’ in Liberia.

The Legislature, being the first branch of the Liberian Government having one of its responsibilities as lawmaking, is suddenly diverted from its real essence. The waves of unlawful events occurring these days between and amongst the members of this branch of government signal a complete disregard for the law, but create room for lawlessness or jungle justice in the country.

The lawmakers are now the main law breakers. The latest unlawful act which has drawn everyone’s attention has got to do with the Speaker of the ‘Majority Bloc’ of the Legislature, Representative Richard Nagbe Koon and a member of the ‘Minority Bloc’, Montserrado County disgruntle Representative Yekeh Y Kolubah, of district #: 10.

Representative Kolubah who seriously opposes the leadership of Montserrado County District #: 11 Lawmaker, Richard Nagbe Koon as Speaker of the House had gone to work and parked his vehicle in the allotted slot meant for the speaker’s vehicle to be parked.

The embattled Speaker, Jonathan Fonati Kofa has been the one using the spot before the House of Representatives Majority Bloc Speaker, Richard Nagbe Koon surfaced. The area has also always been as a tradition, used by the speaker only.

Other legitimate speakers used it before Koon in a criticized speakership position started using it as a parking ground exclusively. Embattled Speaker Kofa was compared to stop parking there by the majority.

Yekeh whose vehicle was ordered to be forcefully opened by Speaker Koon says he does not recognize the Majority Bloc Speaker but the Minority Bloc Speaker, J. Fonati Kofa.

As a demonstration of his disregard for Koon’s leadership, Rep Kolubah parked his car in the space, something which prompted Koon’s action to order the opening of the lawmaker’s vehicle to ensure that it was taken away from the space so as to allow him park there.

The ‘Minority Bloc’ also claiming itself as the ‘Rule of Law Caucus’ immediately landed condemnation against Koon, lamenting that he is using the wrong precedent to handle issue at the Legislature.

The power struggle in the House of Representatives is on a daily basis turning into something else with both sides showing different actions along the way.

Meanwhile, Representative Yekeh Kolubah expressing his frustration about the issue promised to seek redress at the court but threatened to react with jungle justice against Koon if the court does nothing.

He also claimed to have left twenty-five thousand United States Dollars (US$25’000), an iPhone, laptop and two million Liberian Dollars (L$2, 000, 000) in his car before it was broken into on the order of the Koon. He says any lawmaker has the right to park in the space.

Recently, the Capitol Building was reported to be set ablaze by individuals who were allegedly sent by aggrieved lawmakers. This act is described as a jungle justice too by many Liberians who say those purported to be behind the burning of the Capitol decided to seek redress by taking the law in their hands, though it was done out of the public view.

Besides that, lawmakers refused to return to the rule of law after the ruling of the Supreme Court of Liberia asked them to go back, follow the law and conduct themselves orderly.