The Suspended Acting Monrovia City Mayor Mary Broh on Tuesday (Feb 26) narrowly escaped death and arrest from hundred of Liberia youths at the Temper of Justice in Monrovia.
The controversial Broh had gone to the Temple of Justice to file a writ of Prohibition against the decision by House of Representatives to have her incarcerated for the period of thirty days after she prevented suspended Montserrado County Superintendent Grace Kpaan from going to jail last Thursday.
The House ordered the imprisonment of Kpaan last week after she failed to explain why she should not be held in contempt for reportedly refusing to carry out an instruction given her earlier. While she was being taken to her cell, Broh at the head of several prominent Liberian women obstructed the process, whisking Kpaan away.
By Friday, the following day, the House called an emergency session and sentenced Broh and Montserrado to thirty days in prison for "contempt of the Legislature." The duo has been on the run until Broh fell in the hands of angry citizens yesterday.
After spending several hours at the Monrovia City Court seeking judicial redress to the House's decision, Broh was escorted outside of the court room to board her vehicle, but was prevented by angry protesters who vowed to arrest and turn her over the Liberia National Police.
The chanting mob immediately began manhandle the suspended Acting Mayor from one end to another. Some of the protesters were seen physically assaulting and raining insults at her.
Court officers and some aids to the suspended Mayor managed to rescue her and forcibly placed her in the Monrovia City Court. Officers of the Liberia National Police immediately arrived on the scene and put the situation under control.
Some of the protesters on the scene vowed to arrest Broh and turn her over to the Monrovia Central Prison to serve the sentence of the House of Representatives.
Many of them said Broh had ill-treated, flogged, disgraced and brutalized peaceful citizens with impunity and it was time for her to face these same harsh realities.
In a related development, the House of Representatives has fined Gender and Development Minister Madam Julius Duncan Cassell the amount of L$4, 999.99 for her action to prevent the detention of suspended Superintendent Kpaan.
The House took the decision Tuesday after the Minister admitted to her action and pleaded with the body to forgive her.
She said her appearance at the Monrovia Central Prison was in solidarity with a female colleague, but was not meant to disrespect the function of the first branch of government.
Cassell was also mandated to write an open letter of apology to that body and copy be published in three local dailies beginning this Thursday.
In another development, the Liberia Senate has written the House of Representatives, informing it that the Senate stands by them in their decision against the two suspended officials.
In a communication addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Liberian Senate said it has "followed the situation involving the two suspended officials and it is in full support of the House's action."
The Senate also informed the House that any attempt by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to disregard the decision of the Legislature will lead to a non-compliant posture against the Executive Branch of Government.
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Here we go again. Anyone who lived in Liberia during the 1970s and 1980s will really agree that Liberia is degenerating into a crisis point with no return.Where is the international community,once again? The players of the game are the same judges. Will the innocent majority continues to suffer in the hands of the 1% who are enjoying the wealth of the nation? Yes when the crisis comes, they pack their bags and once again come in the developed world and enjoy their stolen wealth.
Let me state emphatically here that the Houses rules does not in any way over shadow the organic Law of the nation that is the constitution.I can't just imagine why the representative try to push a cause that is not help the nation.Let me state that they should be in the business overshadowing everybody function. There are three branches of government and each branch got a oversight responsibility of the other, so that check and balance will exist. The representatives wants to make the law and implement the law, and it does not go that way.
According to ARTICLE 44 OF THE LIBERIAN CONSTITUTION READ: Contempt of the Legislature shall consist of actions which obstruct the legislative functions or which obstruct or impede members or officers of the legislature in the discharge of their legislative duties and may be punished by the house concerned by reasonable sanction after a hearing consistent with due process of Law. It also go on to say that, No sanction shall extend beyond the session of the legislature wherein it is imposed, and any sanction imposed shall conform to the provisions on fundamental Rights laid down in this Constitution. Disputes between Legislators and Non-members, which are properly cognizable in the courts shall not be entertained or heard in the Legislature.
So all I'm trying to say is that, let the legislators focus on their work and leave things for the rightful authority to handle. I my right and sound mind, the house should have file the matter to the court which is the final arbiter of Justice in this country under our Law.