During their Thursday session, the Majority Bloc of the House of Representatives suspended four lawmakers, including Representatives Frank Saah Foko, Eugene Kollie, Zinnah Norman, and Alex Sonnyboy Noah.
The suspensions, which were made in response to misconduct allegations, were formalized after Representative Nya Flomo filed a motion calling for the action. As part of the suspension, the lawmakers will lose their benefits starting this month, a decision that is expected to remain in effect for the foreseeable future.
The suspensions bring the total number of lawmakers suspended by the Majority Bloc to seven. The first three to face suspension were Representatives Marvin Cole, Abu Kamara, and Edward Papay Flomo, who were also accused of misconduct. The ongoing suspensions have heightened tensions within the House as political divisions continue to deepen over governance and accountability.
One of the suspended lawmakers, Representative Eugene JM Kollie, responded defiantly to the suspension. In a statement, he called the action an “illegal” move, expressing his frustration with what he perceived as a breach of due process. “An illegal group suspending a legitimate and elected representative without following the rule of law. Suspension my foot,” Kollie stated, challenging the legitimacy of the Majority Bloc’s actions. His remarks suggest a growing conflict between the suspended lawmakers and the Majority Bloc, which claims that the actions were taken in response to serious breaches of conduct.
Amid the suspensions, the Majority Bloc has also intensified its scrutiny of embattled Speaker Fonati Koffa. Referring to Koffa as “former Speaker,” the Majority Bloc has requested that he submit a list of his staff members. This request ensures that the staffers receive their December payments, which will be processed through Koffa’s office as the Representative of Grand Kru County District #2. The call for Koffa to submit the list underscores the increasing rift within the House as the Majority Bloc challenges his leadership and authority.
Koffa’s position has been controversial within the House of Representatives for some time, with the Majority Bloc taking steps to reduce his influence. The ongoing suspensions and challenges to his leadership have raised questions about the stability of the legislative body and the dynamics between the Speaker and his colleagues.
Meanwhile, Representative Foko, also among the recently suspended lawmakers, has taken legal action in a separate development. On Wednesday, Foko filed a formal complaint with the Chief Justice against the Justice Minister, accusing him of an ethical breach. Foko claimed that the Justice Minister had misinterpreted a Supreme Court ruling in his public statements, leading to misrepresenting legal facts. In response, the Chief Justice referred the matter to the Supreme Court’s Grievance and Ethics Committee for further investigation.
The committee will now examine the allegations against the Justice Minister and allow him to defend his actions. The referral of the case to the Ethics Committee signals the seriousness with which the judiciary is treating Foko’s complaint, further adding to the ongoing political drama surrounding the Legislature. If the committee finds merit in Foko’s complaint, it could have significant implications for the Justice Minister’s conduct and professional standing.
The recent actions within the House of Representatives highlight the intense political infighting that is playing out between various factions. The suspensions and the legal disputes involving Foko and Koffa reflect the deepening divisions within the legislative body. The fallout from these suspensions, combined with the ethical complaints and ongoing scrutiny of leadership, suggests that the situation within the House of Representatives will continue to evolve, with significant political ramifications for the government.
