Retired Judge James N. Gilayeneh was laid to rest on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at his farm along the Ganta-Gbarnga Highway following three days of funeral rites attended by members of the judiciary, government officials, family members, and residents of Nimba County.
The funeral rites began on Wednesday, May 27, when the Judicial Branch of Liberia, headed by Chief Justice Yamie R. G. Gbeisay, led a procession that removed the late judge's remains from the St. Moses Funeral Home in Monrovia to the Temple of Justice. There, mourners signed a book of condolence and paid their respects during a one-hour viewing ceremony.
On Thursday, May 28, the body was taken to the E. Jonathan Goodridge United Methodist Church in Barnesville for a brief funeral service before being transported to Nimba County. On Friday, May 29, family members, judicial officials, and local residents gathered at the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court in Sanniquellie for another public viewing.
Later that day, the remains were taken to his hometown of Gbahn, near Ganta, where residents held an overnight wake. A final funeral service was conducted on Saturday before his burial.
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Judge Gilayeneh was widely remembered for his decades of service to Liberia in both the public and private sectors. According to records published in the Official Gazette of Liberia, he served in numerous government positions before joining the judiciary and ultimately retiring from the bench upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Before entering the legal profession, he held several senior positions within the Ministry of Finance, including Deputy Commissioner of Revenue at the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Deputy Commissioner of Excise. He also served as Assistant Commissioner of Rural Ports and held revenue collection assignments at the Freeport of Monrovia, the Port of Buchanan, and Roberts International Airport.
His public service career also included a stint as Executive Director of the National Elections Commission. In private practice, he co-founded the Foundation Law Firm and later served as Senior Counsel at the Henries Law Firm. He was an active member of both the Liberia National Bar Association and the Nimba County Bar Association.
Born on February 23, 1949, in Gbahn Town, Nimba County, to Mr. Saye Gilayeneh Sr. and Madam Tei Toneah, both of whom predeceased him, Judge Gilayeneh began his professional life as an educator. After graduating from the Zorzor Rural Teacher Training Institute in 1971, he taught for three years before enrolling at the University of Liberia.
He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1979 and subsequently joined the Ministry of Finance, where he served in various capacities and earned a reputation as a diligent public servant.
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Following years of government service, he enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1996. He was admitted to the Liberia National Bar Association as Counselor-at-Law in 2002 and went on to establish himself as one of the country's respected legal practitioners.
Between 2003 and 2006, he served with the National Elections Commission, where his administrative leadership and legal expertise attracted national recognition. On October 16, 2008, he was appointed Relieving Judge by former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
Judge Gilayeneh served on the bench until his retirement in 2020. Returning to Nimba County after retirement, he established the Law Chambers for the Protection of Human Dignity, through which he provided affordable legal services to vulnerable and underserved individuals and communities.
He died on April 27, 2026, at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center in Monrovia following a period of illness. He was 77.
A devoted member of the United Methodist Church, Judge Gilayeneh served with distinction as President of the Men's Fellowship at E. Jonathan Goodridge United Methodist Church in Barnesville and was also one of the church's senior legal advisers.
He is survived by his wife, Prescilla Legay Gilayeneh, nine children, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as numerous relatives residing in Liberia and abroad.
During the funeral ceremonies, the Supreme Court of Liberia laid a wreath in his honor and paid tribute to his years of judicial service, describing him as one of the judiciary's most professional judges in recent times, who served with passion, dedication, and integrity.
