Monrovia, Liberia – The Civil Law Court at the Sixth Judicial Circuit, presided over by Judge George Smith, has dismissed the case filed by the Minority Bloc and embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa challenging the election of Representative Richard Koon as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The petition for declaratory judgment was filed by Koffa’s legal team following a Supreme Court ruling that sought to address the political stalemate within the House of Representatives.
However, the case was met with strong opposition from the Majority Bloc, whose lead counsel, Cllr. H. Varney Sherman, argued that the petition lacked merit and legal substance.
“The minority bloc’s claims are without merit, and this motion to dismiss is necessary to enable the court to address more pressing matters,” Cllr. Sherman contended during the proceedings.
In his ruling on Monday, January 27, 2025, Judge Smith upheld the motion to dismiss, citing the court’s lack of subject matter jurisdiction to preside over the case.
The decision effectively ended the minority bloc’s efforts to challenge Rep. Koon’s election through the Civil Law Court.
Despite the setback, Speaker Koffa and his legal representatives, former Solicitor General Cllr. Saymah Syrenius Cephas and former Associate Justice Kabineh Ja’neh, have vowed to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court, indicating that the legal battle is far from over.
