We will rule by law, not by negotiation.

Justice Johnson pledges to bring the judiciary to ordinary persons and afford everyone equal protection. 

By Lincoln G. Peters

Monrovia, August 30, 2024: Ceaineh Clinton-Johnson, newly inducted associate justice of Liberia’s Supreme Court bench, has pledged that the court will make its decisions by law and not by negotiation.

Making remarks on Thursday, August 29, 2024, Justice Johnson said she comes on the Supreme Court bench at a time when the rebranding of the Judiciary is at an epic stage.

“We are the mutual arms of government. We will make our decisions by law and not by negotiation,” Justice Johnson said.

She spoke of bringing the judiciary to ordinary people so that everyone can understand how it functions and afford everyone equal protection. 

“But this, I believe, must be done under the rule of law, under the due process that [is] required by our law. This is my pledge and my challenge indeed,” said Justice Johnson.

“I know that justice can’t be pursued only by what is said. As I pledge myself that I will conscientiously answer wisely and reflect soberly all the cases that I am going to be part of,” said Justice Johnson.

The new Associate Justice remarked that there is a new movement in Africa that says it is tired of the old way of life and dependency on powerful institutions to make decisions for it.

According to her, the new movement is asking for the discovery of a way of life for the continent of Africa.

She recalled that during her Senate confirmation hearing, she described the African witch-hunt as the powerful institutions, individuals, politicians, wealthy, and manipulators that felt that they had the right to dictate what decision the court should make.

According to her, those who carry the documents are not the ones who make the decisions, and those who listen to the facts are not the ones who make the decisions. 

“In all this, if we allow these great politicians, manipulators, and powerful institutions and individuals to make the decisions for us, our country will continue to … waver down the drain,” she warned.

“I tell people, although we live in this contemporary time of new colonialism, we have a responsibility to change the trajectory of our country,” said Justice Johnson.

She suggested that the judiciary can only change the country’s trajectory.

Being on the Supreme Court bench, Justice Johnson noted that it is not by coincidence or an error. 

She stated that God Almighty ordained this because he knew she would have been there.

Speaking earlier, Liberia’s Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh said justices of the court and judges of courts of record will be seated at the formal ceremony before embarking on their duties.

Their seating follows confirmation by the Liberian Senate, appointment, and commissioning by the President of Liberia.

“As Justice Clinton-Johnsonson has taken her seat of order at the high court, we say, Madam Justice, welcome, and we as a bench welcome you with open arms,” the Chief Justice said.

According to her, Justice Clinton-Johnson is not a stranger to the Liberian judiciary because she served as one of the two resident circuit judges of the First Judicial Circuit Criminal Court “E” for Montserrado County. 

She noted that the bench is particularly delighted that Justice Johnson was appointed from the ranks and files of circuit judges.

Chief Justice Yuoh believes that this will encourage all circuit judges to work hard and conduct themselves in a manner that will earn them recognition.