CENTAL calls for sanctions against Chief Justice

By Lewis S. Teh

 Monrovia, Liberia; October 3, 3035 – Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia or CENTAL, is calling on the 55^th Legislature to immediately implement sanctions against Chief Justice Yamie Gbeisay, for alleged nepotism at the judiciary.

  “Our laws provide sanction for nepotism. In particular, Section 9.8 of the code of conduct stipulates that penalties for nepotism include reprimand, suspension, demotion, or removal from employment, and may also involve prohibiting the offender from working for the government for up to five years. Therefore, we call on the legislature to exact appropriate sanctions against the Chief Justice.”

 CENTAL Executive Director Anderson Miamen made the call on Thursday, October 2, 2025, when he spoke to reporters at a news conference held in Sinkor, Monrovia.

 On September 18, 2025, President Joseph N. Boakai nominated several individuals, including magistrates and associates, to fill vacancies within the judiciary branch of government. The nominees included Willeyon Gbeisay, son of Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, who was nominated to serve as Associate Magistrate at the Paynesville Magisterial Court.

 But Mr. Gbeisay’s nomination drew consternation from all spectrums of the Liberian society, including Judge Nancy Finda Sammy of the Trial Judges Association of Liberia, who, in a September 23, 2025, letter addressed to Chief Justice Gbeisay, held that the nomination violated the legal recruitment and training processes of the judiciary. 

 In his response to Judge Sammy’s inquiry, Chief Justice Gbeisay acknowledged that his son’s nomination was triggered by a recommendation he made to President Joseph N. Boakai, but denied that his action of recommending his son for service in a branch of government he heads and or supervises, and the subsequent nomination by President Boakai, constitutes any legal or ethical breach. 

 Reacting to the situation, Mr. Miamen said CENTAL differs, as this is clear nepotism, forbidden by the Code of Conduct for public officials.

 According to him, Section 1.3.16 of the Code of Conduct defines Nepotism as “when a public official appoints, employs, promotes, or recommends for advancement family members in any agency of Government or branch of Government in which he/she works.” A family member is defined in section 1.3.12 to include biological or adopted children of public officials and employees of government.

 He further states that, thus, the action of the Chief Justice to recommend his son to serve in a branch of government that he not only works in, but heads and supervises, clearly constitutes Nepotism and a gross disregard for the code of conduct for public officials, which applies to the judiciary, legislature, and executive branches of government.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the Press, while we welcome the resignation of the son of the Chief Justice, as announced by the Office of the President on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, we are of the view that such resignation does not remedy the misconduct on the part of the Chief Justice, especially so that Chief Justice Gbeisay brazenly defended such misconduct on public television, including going at lengths to humiliate and intimidate Judge Sammy, President of the National Association of Trial Judges.”

 Miamen added that CENTAL wonders how the Chief Justice would rule in a similar case of nepotism as violation of the Code of Conduct when he himself sees no problem engaging in nepotistic conduct.

 “Our laws provide sanctions for nepotism. In particular, section 9.8 of the Conduct provides that the penalties for nepotism include reprimand, suspension, demotion, or removal from employment, and could consist of prohibiting the offender from working for the Government for up to five (5) years. We therefore call on the Legislature to exact appropriate sanctions against the Chief Justice.

 Additionally, we call for extreme care and caution in employment and other decision-making, such that the already low public confidence in the judiciary is not further dampened. 

Also, we call on President Boakai to lead by example and be true to his commitment to uphold the rule of law and move away from business as usual, including Nepotism, which has undermined accountability, transparency, and productivity in successive governments in Liberia”, he demanded. Editing by Jonathan Browne