Cllr. Wrights calls out S/Court

Cllr. Wrights’ argument that the Supreme Court overreached its function and, by so doing, usurped the function of the local bar when it tried to determine who should gain admission into the local bar has stirred controversy here.

Monday, May 27, 2024: Former Associate Justice Micah Wrights sparked controversy over the Supreme Court’s role and function during the Montserrado Chapter of the Liberia National Bar Association convention in Sinkor on Saturday, May 24.

The Montserrado County Chapter is the oldest local chapter of the LNBA.

Delivering the keynote address at the convention, former Associate Supreme Court Justice Wright argued that the Supreme Court overreached its function in allowing lawyers to be admitted to local bars.

Cllr. Wrights argued that although it is proper for the Supreme Court to admit and, where necessary, withhold licenses of lawyers as part of its functions, it is not the function of the highest court to determine who becomes a member of the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA).

Cllr. Wright argued that the admittance of lawyers and/or new lawyers into the bar should be the function of that body and not that of the Supreme Court. He stated that doing so would mean the Supreme Court is usurping the function of the local bar.

His comment comes nearly five years after the LNBA expelled Nigerian-born lawyer Cllr. Ndubuisis Nwabudike from the league on June 19, 2020, for allegedly forging his nationality status.

The LNBA said at the time that Cllr. Nwabudike became a member of the local bar through fraudulent means.

But the Supreme Court overturned the LNBA’s decision mandating that the then former Liberia Anti Corruption boss should be reinstated.

Up until his expulsion from the LNBA, Cllr. Nwabudike continued to chair the Liberia Anti–Corruption Commission (LACC), a position reserved for lawyers, despite failing to prove he was a naturalized Liberian during the Senate confirmation hearing to chair the National Elections Commission (NEC).

Having worked at the Good Governance Commission (GC), the Nigerian–born Cllr. Nwabudike, who insists he naturalized in 1982 as a Liberian, was serving tenure as LACC chair when former President George Manneh Weah appointed him in 2020 to head the NEC, his third job in less than two years.

Meanwhile, Cllr. Wrights called on members of the Montserrado bar to lead the process and scrutinize how new lawyers gain admission and acceptance to the bar.

He opined that the Montserrado Chapter of the LNBA should engage the LNBA and seek ways to clearly define murky processes and procedures.

The convention was graced by two distinguished senior counsels and members of the Montserrado bar in the persons of Cllrs James E Pierre and Lloyd Kennedy, along with special invited guest and former president of the LNBA Cllr Taiwan Gongloe as well as the Secretary General of the LNBA Cllr Bonoh Varmah.

Judge Kennedy Peabody of the 5th Judicial Circuit and Probate Court Judge Nicholas Edward were also in attendance.

The convention received the report of the Montserrado County Bar President Sam Cooper and thanked him for his service and commitment to the growth of the local bar.

The bar president then appointed Cllr Angelique Weeks to head the committee reviewing local bar admission processes and procedures.