-House Snubs High Court’s Stay Order
As was in the case of the removal of former House Speaker, Cllr. Jonathan Fonati Koffa, when members of the House of Representatives brushed aside the High Court’s stay order, the lawmakers have again demonstrated what critics say was a gross disrespect to the Supreme Court, Liberia’s highest court.
The high court had instructed the lawmakers to halt all proceedings into the Yekeh expulsion feud until it held a conference with the rival parties following a petition for a writ of prohibition filed to the Court by lawyers of now former Montserrado County District-10 Representative, Yekeh Kolubah. A writ of prohibition seeks to stop authorities from exceeding their legal powers.
While Associate Justice Yussif D. Kabba’s scheduled conference with the House’s leadership was still pending for Monday, April 20, 2026, members of the lower house of the Legislature proceeded with their action and expelled the Montserrado District-10 Representative, arguing that they did not receive the High Court’s communication.
The development has split public opinions with some Liberians pointing accusing fingers at the Executive Mansion of being the mastermind of what they claim is the continued disrespect by the legislators of the Country’s high court.
Others argued that as two separate branches of the Liberian Government, no intervention by the High Court would have deterred the lawmakers from executing Mr. Kolubah’s expulsion and that if Yekeh takes exception to his colleagues’ action or feels he was unjustifiably expelled, he should take the matter to the same high court for redress. Observers say the decision by members of the Lower House to have proceeded with their expulsion action against Yekeh in spite of the Supreme Court’s stay order signals serious constitutional concerns and judicial oversight of the Legislature.
The former Montserrado County District-10 member of the House of Representatives expulsion brouhaha sparked off during the height of the Liberia-Guinea border dispute during which the expelled lawmaker remarked that the disputed portion of the land belonged to the Republic of Guinea.
Yekeh, who had earlier denied on a popular radio talk show that he made the remarks, later admitted that he said it when the audio recording was played as evidence that he actually made the remarks.
While his former colleagues claim they voted in favor of his expulsion for his alleged unruly conduct and unpatriotic remarks in the border crisis, critics, mainly from the opposition bloc, think the lawmakers were compromised and handsomely rewarded by the Executive to execute the plan. There was no official reaction from the Executive Mansion up to press time.
A total of forty nine members of the fifty fifth National Legislature, specifically the House of Representatives, affixed their signatures to the resolution that led to the expulsion of the Montserrado County District-10 Representative, Yekeh Kolubah.
Below are the names and respective counties of the forty nine members of the House that signed the resolution: Bomi County
• Jahkpakpa Obediah Varney — District 1
• Manah Bishop Johnson — District 2
• Sam P. Jallah — District 3
Bong County
• Prince K. Koinah — District 1
• James M. Kolleh — District 2
• Robert Womba — District 4
• Moima Briggs Mensah — District 6
• Foday E. Fahnbulleh — District 7
Gbarpolu County
• Mustapha Waritay — District 3
Grand Bassa County
• Isaac G. Bannie — District 1
• J. Clarence T. Banks — District 2
• Alfred H. Flomo — District 4
Grand Cape Mount County
• Gbessie Sonni Feika — District 3
Grand Gedeh County
• Jeremiah Garwo Sokan Sr. — District 1
• Marie G. Johnson — District 2
• Jacob C. Debee II — District 3
Grand Kru County
• Nathaniel N. Bahway Sr. — District 1
Lofa County
• Thomas P. Fallah — District 1
• Julie Fatorma Wiah — District 2
• Momo Siafa Kpoto — District 3
• Gizzie K. Kollince — District 4
• Augustine B. Chiewolo — District 5
Margibi County
• Ellen A. Attoh-Wreh — District 3
• Emmanuel Yarh — District 4
Maryland County
• P. Mike Jurry — District 1
• Anthony F. Williams — District 2
• Austin Blidi Taylor — District 3
Montserrado County
• Rugie Yatu Barry — District 1
• Sekou S. Kanneh — District 2
• Sumo Kollie Mulbah — District 3
• Michael M. Thomas — District 4
• Prescilla A. Cooper — District 5
• Emmanuel Dahn — District 7
• Prince A. Toles — District 8
• Richard Nagbe Koon — District 11
• Bernard Blue Benson — District 17
Nimba County
• Samuel N. Brown Sr. — District 1
• Nyahn Garsaye Flomo — District 2
• Nehker E. Gaye — District 3
• Ernest M. Manseah Sr. — District 4
• Kortor Kwagrue — District 5
• Dorwohn Twain Gleekia — District 6
• Saye S. Mianah — District 8
River Gee County
• Alexander Poure Isaac B. Choloplay Wuo — District 2
• Johnson S. N. Williams Sr. — District 3g
Rivercess County
• Alex J. Grant — District 1
• Steve Tequah — District 2
