Monrovia, Liberia – February 27, 2025 – In a significant setback for the majority bloc in the House of Representatives, Justice in Chambers, Ciennah Clinton Johnson, has issued a writ of mandamus ordering the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning and the House’s Comptroller to pay the salaries and benefits owed to seven suspended lawmakers.

This legal development follows a petition by Representatives Abu Kamara, Marvin Cole, Frank Saah Foko, Edward Papie Flomo, Eugene Kollie, Alex Noah, and Zinnah Norman, who claim that their pay has been wrongfully withheld since their suspension by the Majority Bloc.

The writ of mandamus serves as a court directive that mandates a government official to fulfill a legal duty or refrain from illegal actions. It instructs Minister Augustine Nganfuan of the Ministry of Finance and Comptroller Emmanuel Kopi of the House to promptly release the owed salaries and benefits to the petitioners.

The court has established a firm deadline for compliance, requiring the involved parties to submit their responses by March 10, 2025, and to appear before Justice Clinton Johnson to explain why the writ should not be enforced.

In her judgment, Justice Clinton Johnson highlighted that the Majority Bloc’s actions, which resulted in the lawmakers’ suspensions, were ultra vires—beyond their legal authority. This ruling is based on a previous decision by Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbessay, which determined that the suspensions were unlawful due to the absence of a constitutionally elected Speaker.

This critical aspect supports the petitioners’ argument for payment of their salaries as stipulated in the national budget.

The court’s decision mandates the Ministry of Finance and the Comptroller to provide an explanation for not processing the salaries, in light of the Supreme Court’s prior ruling deeming the Majority Bloc’s actions unconstitutional.

This directive is a vital measure to ensure the government fulfills its legal obligations, particularly regarding salary payments for duly elected officials.

Justice Clinton Johnson’s writ of mandamus reinforces the stance that the Majority Bloc’s actions are illegal and violate the constitutional and statutory rights of the petitioners.

According to the legal representatives of the petitioners, withholding salaries not only represents economic injustice but also undermines constitutional protections that assure due process and adherence to contractual obligations, as specified in Articles 20 and 25 of the Liberian Constitution.

The Ministry of Finance and the House’s Comptroller are now legally required to respond and validate their actions.

Should they fail to provide lawful justification for withholding the salaries, the writ will compel immediate payment to the suspended lawmakers.

The court has scheduled a hearing for March 10, 2025, for the respondents to present their case before Justice Clinton Johnson at the Supreme Court’s Temple of Justice in Monrovia.

This ruling symbolizes a pivotal moment in the ongoing dispute between the suspended lawmakers and the Majority Bloc, emphasizing the judiciary’s role in enforcing the rule of law and holding public officials accountable to constitutional standards.

It also highlights the persistent conflicts within the House of Representatives, where political strife has continually interrupted legislative activities and governance.

The Majority Bloc’s actions, which have faced multiple legal challenges, are now under heightened scrutiny from both the judiciary and international observers.

The recent court decisions and upcoming compliance deadlines demonstrate a firm legal stance on respecting constitutional processes and protecting the rights of elected officials.

As the situation unfolds, attention will be directed towards the responses from the Ministry of Finance and the House Comptroller to see if they can justify their ongoing withholding of the suspended lawmakers’ salaries and benefits, or if the writ of mandamus will be enforced fully.