By Watson Richards
The Judiciary of Liberia has dismissed as “false, misleading and reckless” a media publication claiming that Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay ordered an investigation into alleged jury tampering in a US$6.2 million corruption case.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the Judiciary said the report was “entirely fabricated” and intended to create the false impression that the Chief Justice had improperly interfered in an ongoing criminal matter before the courts.
According to the Judiciary, Chief Justice Gbeisay “at no time” issued any order, directive, or instruction authorizing an investigation into alleged jury tampering linked to the case.
The statement emphasized that Liberia’s constitutional and legal framework does not permit the Chief Justice to arbitrarily intervene in criminal proceedings or independently launch investigations into jury deliberations.
“The attempt to attribute such conduct to the Chief Justice is not only legally absurd, but also a deliberate smear campaign calculated to undermine public confidence in the independence, neutrality, and integrity of the Judiciary,” the release stated.
The Judiciary also expressed concern over what it described as the growing use of misinformation and speculative reporting in high-profile cases, warning that such actions threaten the administration of justice and democratic institutions.
Reaffirming its commitment to the rule of law and judicial independence, the Judiciary urged the public to disregard the publication and rely only on official communications issued through authorized channels.
It also warned that legal action may be pursued against individuals responsible for spreading defamatory information.
