Liberia: Amb. Endee Writes Chief Justice to Investigate Dismissed Case

Liberia’s Cultural Ambassador Julie Endee has written Supreme Court Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Yuoh to launch an investigation into what she termed as interference by the Legal Advisor of President Joseph Boakai in a case involving her and a defendant.

Endee has accused Cllr. Benshuben Keita, of interfering with her case at the Monrovia City Court, allegedly instructing prosecutors to drop the case based on a lack of sufficient evidence.

According to a communication addressed to Chief Justice Youh, the Cultural Ambassador claimed that without her consent, Attorney Alfred F Bandiyo, city solicitor at the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) assigned to the court, entered a plea of nolle prosequi and subsequently dismissed the “government’s criminal charges” against Prophet Key based on Keita’s instruction. 

Endee and controversial social media personality, Nayapougma Oldpa Yeazeahn, popularly known as “Prophet Key”, has been embroiled in a legal battle for nearly a month now. 

Cultural Ambassador Endee accused Prophet Key of threatening her on his social media platform, claiming that he would ensure she never had the opportunity to work in any government in Liberia, which caused her fear and distress. She also claimed that Prophet Key’s actions were intended to bring her public ridicule and shame. 

These accusations led to charges of criminal coercion, menacing, and disorderly conduct. However, the case took a contentious turn following its dismissal by the Monrovia City Court, reportedly without the knowledge of the complainant, Endee, and her legal team. 

But in an unexpected turn of events, and while waiting last Friday to testify in the proceedings as she was directed by Magistrate Barco, Endee said she was shocked to hear the government’s dismissal of the matter without first hearing from her lawyers. 

She has since accused the President’s Legal Advisor of influencing such a decision, and that he usurped the function of the Ministry of Justice. 

In her communication to the Chief Justice, Endee said, “I respectfully seek your indulgence to order an investigation into the conduct of Cllr. Benshuben Keita for usurping the function of the Minister of Justice.” 

Justice Yuoh, when she was nominated, confirmed, and commissioned, publicly assured the people that she would not allow two other branches of the government, the Executive and Legislature, to interfere with the operations and enforcement of the Court’s Mandates.

Article 65 of the Liberian Constitution vests in the Supreme Court and such subordinate courts as established by the Legislature, the Judicial power of the Republic.

The said Article also provides that judgments of the Supreme Court are final and binding and that they shall not be subjected to appeal or reviewed by any other branch of the Government.

This provision of the Constitution, Justice Yuoh noted, has three indispensable features, which are the judgment of the Supreme Court, the finalization of a matter decided by the court, and the binding decision on all authorities throughout the Republic of Liberia.

Justice Yuoh mentioned that it is disturbing to note that in recent times, the Supreme Court continues to receive reports of interference in the enforcement of courts’ judgments.

Being aware of her recent commitment to avoid any interference with the working of courts, the question many legal practitioners ask is whether she would uphold her commitments by calling for the investigation.

Before Keita’s instruction, she had lodged a verbal complaint to the City Solicitor, and it was approved by the Stipendiary Magistrate Ben Barco, to which a Writ of arrest was issued on Prophet Key.

Later, her letter said, on February 15, Prophet Key was arrested and brought under the jurisdiction of the court, to answer to the writ of arrest.

But, Prophet Key’s lawyer asked for the case to be postponed to a later date because he had just been hired by the defendant, and the judge accepted the request and allowed the lawyer to walk away with the defendant without the defendant filing a Valid Criminal Appearance Bond, says the letter. 

Based on the arrangement, Magistrate Barco reassigned the case on February 19, and she was made to take an oath to testify and to provide the pieces of evidence in her possession.

They later agreed for the case to be postponed to Friday, February 22, to share the pieces of evidence with the defendant and to proceed with the case on its merits.

She accused Prophet Key of verbally abusing her on several international and national online platforms in which she claims she has been sleeping with former presidents, Charles G. Taylor and George M. Weah.

“He denigrated, defamed, and damaged my hard-earned reputation that I have built over the years,” the letter alleged. 

She also accused Prophet Key of alleging that she attempted to sleep with Mr. Amos Tweh, Secretary-General of the ruling Unity Party.”

She claimed that Prophet Key continues threatening her life by saying, “I will take Endee to the zoes to deal with her if she doesn't take the case from the court, and George Weah’s government will be her last government and she will not work in any government again unless I am not the prophet working with the zoes.”

Her communication plea, “Your Honor, this verbal abuse has caused me mental and psychological torture and disturbance to my womanhood, and because I strongly believe in democracy and the respect for the rule of law; I therefore deserve justice to be served irrespective of who appears before the law.”