Liberia: President Weah Nominates Cllr. Tuan as Solicitor General

Liberia's President George Weah in Paris, France, November 11, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes

President George Manneh Weah has nominated Deputy Minister for Codification at the Ministry of Justice, Cllr. Nyanati Tuan, as Solicitor General of the Republic of Liberia.

The position became vacant following the resignation of Counselor Sayma Syrennius Cephus, who was sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for allegedly receiving bribes from people in exchange for having their court cases dropped, as well as shielded money launderers and helped clear them through the court system.

President Weah also nominated Cllr. Wesseh A. Wesseh, Assistant Minister for Litigation at the Ministry of Justice and Cllr. Nelson B. Chinneh as Relieving Judges for the Circuit Courts, Judicial Branch of Government. 

All three appointees are subject to the consent of the Senate. Like Tuan, Wesseh and Chinneh also hail from the southeast. 

In his nomination of Cllr. Tuan, President Weah said the nomination was based on Tuan’s desire to play a more meaningful role in the promotion of peace, reconciliation and development of Liberia.

Cllr. Tuan is the son of the Late Grand Kru County Senator Tuan Wreh, who was also chairman of the Liberia Action Party, one of three political parties that made up the Unity Party (UP), the former ruling party.

The newly designated judicial officers are expected to begin meeting with lawmakers at the Senate any time soon to begin confirmation. If confirmed by the Senate, they would take their respective positions, as Relieving Judges and Solicitor General.

Cllr. Nyanati Tuan, three other lawyers and a Monthly and Probate Court Judge are subjects of a pending investigation by the Supreme Court’s Grievance and Ethics Committee into alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct regarding their handling of the case between Ducor Petroleum Incorporated and Monrovia Oil Trading Company. The five were once lawyers for Amos Brosius, a shareholder in Ducor Petroleum.

Tuan, in time past, has been known by many of his colleagues as “playful and not vigorous”. 

“He understands the law, because he has been practicing since the 1980s, but he is playful and one who is not serious with cases that involve his clients," said a close friend of Tuan, who does not want to be identified.

“He brings a wealth of experience to the job, and I believe he will perform. This job comes with responsibility, and if he wants to succeed, he has to be serious,” the source claimed.

“Tuan has a nature of delaying cases of his clients, and he is not too forceful in dispensing justice, but I think he can make it if he actually changes that behavior,” the source added. “Tuan just needs to get serious with his new job. He is a very smart guy, but playful.”