Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Boakai has withdrew the nominations of three persons, which, in spite of his constitutional authority to nominate, appoint, and dismiss, looks to be an unpleasant position to several presidential nominees, and Liberians.
The three nominees are Adana Paye, Assistant Minister for Corrections and Rehabilitation in the Ministry of Justice, Joseph Cooper, Executive Director-designate of the Liberia Refugee, Repatriation and Resettlement Commission, and Cllr. Bobby Livingstone, Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs.
The three had already been before the appropriate Senate Committees for their respective confirmation hearings, as is customary in that august body, prior to the President withdrawing their nominations.
However, in a letter read aloud to the Liberian Senate on Thursday, April 5, 2024, in session by Secretary Nanborlor Singbhe, President Boakai asked that august body to ignore the candidates’ confirmation hearings, declaring the move to be effective immediately and giving no explanation.
The Senate’s plenary considered the President’s communication after Senator Gbleh-bo Brown of Maryland County made a move.
Cllr. Bobby Livingstone responded sharply, stating that he does not regret his involvement as a prosecutor in the case of Cllr. Gloria Scott. He placed emphasis on the fact that 29-year-old Charloe Musu, the former Chief Justice daughter, was murdered and that there is no proof that an intruder entered the building to commit the act but was from within.
At the same time, the legal luminary through a social media post on his Facebook page thanked the Liberian Leader for the nomination, adding that President Boakai has seen it fit to withdraw the nomination.
It is reported that Cllr. Bobby Livingstone was one of the lawyers who fought the case against former chief justice, Gloria Musu Scott when she alleged that an intruder made their way into their home and murdered one of her daughters.
The inquiry revealed that the murder was committed by an insider rather than an outsider. Insufficient evidence was presented by the former chief justice and her legal team to keep her out of jail, thou the case is still in court. The former chief justice is said to be a Unity Party partisan. Cllr. Livingstone is said to have been redrawn as a result of his involvement with the George Weah administration, which resulted in the former chief justice’s imprisonment.
