Filed in by Olando Testimony Zeongar
Monrovia – “I know you can do the job,” said President George Manneh Weah Monday, when the Liberian leader commissioned Councilor Joseph Nagbe, who replaces retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Philip A.Z. Banks on the full Bench of the High Court.
Early this month, amid controversy that sparked mixed reactions in many quarters in the country, President Weah nominated Nagge, then sitting senator of Sinoe County to replace Justice Banks, who stepped down as Associate Justice at the constitutionally prescribed age of 70 for retirement from the Supreme Court Bench.
Article 72(b) of the 1986 Constitution provides that, “the Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court and judges of subordinate courts of record shall be retired at the age of 70; provided, however, that a justice or judge who has attained that age may continue in office for as long as may be necessary to enable him to render judgment or perform any other judicial duty in regard to proceedings entertained by him before he attained that age.”
At the time of his retirement in June, retired Justice Banks was the oldest serving member of the High Court, with Chief Justice Francis Korkpor describing the services rendered the country by the retired Justice as “an inspiring example for all Liberians.”
“His accomplishments on the Bench will long be remembered, Chief Justice Korkpor said of Banks at the time.
Performing Banks’ replacement commissioning exercise at the C. Cecil Dennis Auditorium in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday, 27 August 2018, President Weah referred to the former Sinoe County lawmaker as a father figure, expressing the hope that based on Nagbe’s ability, he would justify the presidential confidence reposed in him, describing the former Sinoe senator as a great man.
“I have the privilege and honor to be here for this program in honor of a father and brother who has been given the opportunity to serve our country,” said President Weah.
He lauded Chief Justice Korkpor for what he called his acceptance of Nagbe to join the full Bench of the High Court, sating, “I want to thank Chief Justice, Francis Korkpor for accepting that our son joins the Supreme Court Bench. Honorable Nagbe, I know you can do the job.”
The Liberian leader, who was heavily criticized for nominating Nagbe that hails from the South East of Liberia as president Weah, said he did not appoint the newly commissioned Associate Justice on the basis of friendship but in keeping with his hard work and understanding of the law.
It can be recalled that Weah was bombarded with loads of criticisms for nominating Nagbe, who many argued was being picked for the Supreme Court job based upon ethnicity, indicating that the president also ignored the economic implications of the former Sinoe senator’s ascendency to High Court Bench, which have eventually left a void in the county’ representation at the Legislature – thus, making way for the holding of by-election in that part of the country, with another pending in Montserrado following the election of a sitting Rep, Saah Joseph of President Weah’s party, as senator.
Meanwhile, newly commissioned Associate Justice Nagbe has vowed to do his utmost best in his new post by aiming to interpret the law into context.
