The Supreme Court Bench has taken a unanimous decision to suspend Judge J. Kennedy Peabody of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Civil Law Court for six months without salaries and benefits following findings of ethical misconduct.
The decision, handed down during the Court’s March Term, stems from an investigation conducted by the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) in response to a complaint filed by Prince Kanneh.
According to the Supreme Court’s August 14 judgment, Judge Peabody was found to have violated several provisions of the Judicial Canons, including Canons 12, 13, 28, 29, 35, and 38, respectively.
The High Court’s ruling indicates that Judge Peabody engaged in conduct that constituted a conflict of interest, prompting disciplinary action.
While the JIC had recommended a one-year suspension without pay, the Supreme Court modified the penalty to a six-month suspension.
“That as the records of the investigation have established that the respondent Judge violated these canons when he conducted himself in a manner constituting conflict of interest, this Court is inclined to uphold the recommendation of the JIC but with a modification,” the ruling stated.
The judgment was issued by outgoing Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh, along with Associate Justices Jamesetta H. Wolokolie, Yussif D. Kaba, and Ceaineh D. Clinton-Johnson.
Notably, Associate Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay, Sr. recused himself from the case, having previously presided over the investigation as Chairperson of the JIC.
The Court ordered that the suspension be effective immediately from the date of the judgment.
“The Clerk of this Court is ordered to inform the parties of this decision. And it is hereby so ordered,” the ruling concluded.
Judge Peabody appeared before the Court to represent himself, alongside legal representation from Counsellors M. Wilkins Wright and J. Johnny Momoh.
The hearing also included legal inputs from amici curiae—Counsellors Tommy N. Dougbah, Kuku Y. Dorbor, Bhartur Cora Holmes Varmah, and J. Awia Vankan-who assisted the Court in its deliberations.
This ruling underscores the Supreme Court’s continued commitment to upholding judicial accountability and integrity across Liberia’s legal system.
This is a developing story.
