HER HONOR SIE-A-NYENE GYAPAY YUOH

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Her Honor Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh was born in Montserrado County, Republic of Liberia. She obtained her high school education and diploma from the St. Teresa’s Convent, a Catholic High School in Monrovia in 1974, thereafter which, she enrolled at the Cuttington University College (CUC), now Cuttington University (CU), in Suakoko, Bong County, in pursuit of her tertiary education where she graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Political Science.

In 1979, Chief Justice Yuoh enrolled at the Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law, University of Liberia, where she was trained as a lawyer. In 1981, she successfully completed her law studies at this institution and obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree and was subsequently admitted into the Liberia National Bar Association as an Attorney-At-Law. Her Honor was also admitted as Counsellor-At-Law of the Supreme Court Bar in 1988.

PUBLIC & PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh began her public and professional service within the Executive Branch, Republic of Liberia, first at the Ministry of Justice as an Assistant Minister for Legal Affairs from 1983 – 1985, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the Coordinator, African Affairs, 1988 – 1990, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) as Corporate Secretary/Assistant Legal Counsel/Secretary, Board of Governors of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) from 2000 – 2003 and lastly at the Law Reform Commission, where she served as Acting Executive Director and Commissioner respectively from July 2011 – April 2013.

Chief Justice Yuoh also extended her professional legal services within the private sector where she served as Associate and Legal Counsel at the David A.B. Jallah Law Firm, on Johnson Street, Monrovia Liberia, from 1994 – 2000.

In 2013, Madam Justice Yuoh, was nominated, appointed and subsequently commissioned as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Liberia.

PROFESSIONAL & SOCIAL AFFILIATION

Madam Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh has proudly served as Vice President of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) from 1994 – 1998; was a founding member of the Association of Female Lawyers of Liberia (AFELL) and served as its 1st Vice President from 1997 – 1998; Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) from 2012 – 2013 and also served as President of the Maryland County Local Bar Association in 2013.

Her Honor, Chief Justice Yuoh is married, and she and her husband, are blessed with ten (10) children and two (2) grandchildren.

 

 Her Honor Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Youh has Judicial Oversight:

Montserrado Conty

Montserrado County is the home of the 1st Judicial Circuit Criminal Assizes Courts “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E”. Montserrado County is also the home of nine (8) Specialized Courts and ten (10) Magisterial Courts located across the county. Read More.....

 

Margibi County

Margibi County is the home of the 13th Judicial Circuit which sits on criminal, civil and probate matters and is housed in the M. I. A. Building, Kakata City. The 13thJudicial Circuit has three (3) specialized courts and  Read More....

OPINIONS BY HER HONOR CHIEF JUSTICE SIE-A-NYENE GYAPAY YUOH

Madam Siah Tandapolie and Doris Dalieh of the City of Monrovia vs. National Elections Commission (02/07/2024)

These appeals emanate from the final rulings of the Board of Commissioners (BOC) of the National Elections Commission (NEC) in two cases, wherein (a) the Board affirmed in the one case, Madam Siah Tandapolie and Doris Dalieh v. National Elections Commission, the Ruling of the Hearing Officers, and (b) the Board affirmed in the other case, National Elections Commission v. Amos Siebo Jr., the Ruling of the Hearing Officers, thus dismissing the complaints in both cases. The records certified to this Court show that in the first of these consolidated cases, i.e. Madam Siah Tandapolie and Doris Dalieh v. National Elections Commission, the Appellants, Madams Siah Tandapolie and Doris Dalieh, Independent Aspirants at the time for the seat in the House of Representatives for District 11, Montserrado County, filed, on July 6, 2023, a complaint before the National Elections Commission challenging the legality and constitutionality of the NEC 2023 Regulations and Procedures Relating to Political Parties, Coalitions, Alliances, and Read more →

Seluminee Bloyougar et. al. vs. The Intestate Estate of Kollie (02/07/2024)

The instant appeal grows out of an action of ejectment filed before the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, by the appellee, the Intestate Estate of Edwin Kollie by and thru its administrator, David K. Kollie, against Madam Seluminee Bloyougar et al., the appellants herein, in which the said appellee alleged that it is the owner of one (1) lot of land lying and situated in the Samuel Kanyon Doe Boulevard Community, Paynesville, Montserrado County; that the defendant without any color of title or right illegally and intentionally encroached on a portion of its premises against the will and consent of the administrator of the estate; that all efforts exerted by the appellee to have the appellants vacate the subject premises proved futile. Hence, the appellee prayed the trial court to have the appellants evicted from its property and to award damages in the amount of Fifty Thousand United States Dollars (US$50,000.00) for the appellants’ illegal occupation and wrongful Read more →

Morris Kiazolu et al. v. Republic of Liberia (02/07/2024)

The records certified to this Court show that this appeal emanates from the First Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “A” when the Grand Jury for Montserrado County presented an indictment charging the appellants, defendants in the court below, with the commission of the crimes of criminal conveyance of land and criminal conspiracy. In commencing our review of the merits of this appeal, we take judicial notice of historical facts, recalling the alarming rate of disputes involving real property that not only flooded the dockets of courts of this Republic, but also incited the increase in other violent crimes in society as a result of land dispute. The Legislature taking cognizance that land-based disputes throughout Liberia, particularly in urban areas, had escalated to a crisis point thereby making it difficult for institutions and courts established to deal with civil issues to adequately resolve these disputes as civil matters; and further noting that the illegal conveyance of real property had the propensity to undermine the peace, Read more →

Intestate Estate of Barzoe Tiapon vs. Intestate Estate of Marboe Tarr (02/07/2024)

This appeal emanates from the ruling of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, on a motion to modify an arbitration award, filed by the present appellee, the Intestate Estate of Marboe Tarr and William C. Clarke by and thru its administratrix and administrators Tonia Carter Deableh, Arthur Utee Berrian and Varney D. Kerkula, against the present appellants, the Intestate Estate of Barzoe Tiapon, by and thru its administrators Nathan S. Karpo, Isaac K. Potter, and Joe Dixon, and the King Karnley Estate, in which final ruling, the trial Judge His Honor Scheaplor R. Dunbar ruled modifying the arbitration award as submitted by the board of arbitration and awarding all of the Six Hundred Twenty-Five (625) acres of land in contention to the appellee on the doctrine of superior title. The facts as culled from the certified records show that on April 14, 2010, the Intestate Estate of Marboe Tarr and William Clarke, appellee, by and thru its administratrix and Read more →

William G. J. Juah, Administrator of the Intestate Estate of Charlotte Crawford of the City of Monrovia vs. JOJO/J. W. Lawrence, Attorney-in-Fact for Felix K. Lawrence, of the City of Monrovia

This appeal emanates from a bill of information filed before the Monthly and Probate Court for Montserrado County, by Jojo/J.W. Lawrence, the Attorney-In-Fact of Felix K. Lawrence, the appellee herein. The proceedings leading to the filing of the bill of information by the appellee shows that on January 6, 2017, the appellant herein, William G. J. Juah, obtained Letters of Administration from the Monthly & Probate Court for Montserrado County, to administer the Intestate Estate of his purported mother, Charlotte Crawford. Subsequently on February 6, 2017, the appellant filed a Petition for Interference with the Intestate Estate of Charlotte Crawford against the appellee alleging inter alia therein, that he is one of two children of the late Charlotte Crawford and is the current administrator of the deceased Charlotte Crawford’s Intestate Estate; that he is the surviving next of kin of the decedent because she had two children out of her body, the appellant and his elder sister, Read more →

Mr. Wamah Jones Kuteh, Independent Representative Candidate District # 1, Bong County vs. The National Elections Commission (NEC) (12/19/2023)

On October 10, 2023, the National Elections Commission (NEC), the 1st appellee herein, conducted Presidential and Legislative Elections at which Mr. Wamah Jones Kuteh, the appellant herein, contested in Electoral District No.1, Bong County as a representative. At the closing of the polls, the counting and tallying of votes casts in Electoral District No.1, Bong County, the 1st appellee announced Mr. Prince Koinah, the 2nd appellee herein, as the winner of the elections. In its public announcement on October 20, 2023, the 1st appellee stated that the 2nd appellee obtained 6,846 valid votes while the appellant on the other hand obtained 6,774 valid votes. The certified records culminating into this appeal and transmitted to this Court reveal that the appellant filed three (3) complaints, the first and second on October 15 & 16 and the third on the 18th of October. The third complaint was withdrawn and an amended complaint filed on October 25, 2023. Read more →

Amos Klah of the City of Monrovia vs. The Intestate of Tahiru Keingo by and thru is Administratrix Betty Keingo of the City of Monrovia (12/19/2023)

The Intestate Estate of Tahiru Keingo, the appellee herein, instituted an action of ejectment before the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, against Amos Klah, the appellant herein. After pleadings rested, a jury trial was had, following which the jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of the appellee. Thereafter, the appellant filed a motion for new trial, which was objected to by the appellee, heard by the trial court, and subsequently denied. The trial court entered final ruling in favor of the appellee, which final ruling the appellant noted exceptions and announced an appeal to the Supreme Court, thus culminating into the present appeal. The certified records show that the genesis of this case dates back to May 27, 2009, when the appellee instituted a five count action of ejectment against the appellant, alleging therein that in 1985, Tahiru Keingo, during his lifetime, acquired one and one-half (1.5) lots of land situated in the Township of Gardnerville from Francis S. Fahnbulleh; that sometime in 1990, due to the civil crisis in Liberia, he, Tahiru Keingo, along with his family, fled to the Republic of Sierra Leone for refuge, but left their elder son, Thomas Keingo in charge of his property as a caretaker; that in 1999, an agent of the appellant, Read more →

Siah Jarmie Tandapolie, New Liberia Party et al. v. National Election Commission (08/31/2023)

This appeal emanates from the final ruling of the Board of Commissioners (BOC) of the National Elections Commission (NEC), wherein the BOC affirmed the ruling of the Hearing Officers of the NEC and dismissed the appellants’ appeal. The certified records show that on June 19, 2023, co-appellants Siah J. Tandapolie, of the New Liberia Party, Emmanuel K.B. Togba, of the All Liberian Party, and James Marwieh, referring to himself as an eminent citizen of District # 11, filed separate complaints before the NEC, objecting to the nomination and certification of Dr. Thomas Nimene Tweh, the appellee herein, as a provisional candidate vying for the Representative Seat in District # 11, Montserrado County. In summary, the appellants contend in their separate complaints, that the appellee held dual citizenship, Liberian and American which disqualifies him from contesting the representative seat; that in substantiation of the said allegation, the appellants proffered copies of the biometric page of an American Passport and a driver’s license of the State of California purportedly belonging to the appellee; that the appellants further alleged that the appellee is not domiciled in District # 11 as he claimed, but rather domiciled in Louisiana, which is situated in District # 1, Montserrado County. Read more →

The Management of Ecobank (Liberia) Limited vs Embassy Suite Corporation (08/11/2023)

This appeal is from the final ruling of Mr. Justice Yussif D. Kaba, then Resident Circuit Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County, and before his ascendancy as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, wherein he affirmed the verdict of the jury awarding damages in the amount of One Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$ 1,500,000.00) to the Embassy Suites Incorporated, the appellee herein, for acts allegedly perpetrated by the appellant herein, Ecobank Liberia Limited, against the Embassy Suites Sole Proprietorship, prior to the coming into existence of the Embassy Suites Incorporated. The history of this case is traced to August 10, 2009, when the Liberia Resort Management Group Incorporated through its three shareholders, Mr. Winfred R. Gibson, Mr. Anwar Saoud, and Mr. Marina Nazarine/Vahagn Poghosyan, applied to the appellant, the Ecobank (Liberia) Limited, and subsequently obtained a loan in the amount of Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars (US$500,000.00) for the purpose of financing the renovation of a ten-bedroom hotel and the construction of a new building on the premises of the Liberia Resort Management Group Incorporated, located in Mamba Point Read more →

Sansee Kowo et al. vs Republic of Liberia (08/11/2023)

The appellant, Sensee Kowo, is before the Supreme Court appealing his conviction of murder emanating from the final ruling of the Second Judicial Circuit Court, Grand Bassa County. The records established that the Republic of Liberia, the appellee herein, arrested the appellant and two other defendants in persons of Rancy Dolo and Martin Dolo, and following investigation, jointly charged them for the murder of Samuel Selleh. Subsequently, the Grand Jury of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, Nimba County, indicted all the defendants for the commission of the crime of murder. The nine (9) count indictment alleged inter alia, that on March 8, 2020, the decedent, Samuel Selleh, and three of his friends were seen loitering around the Jackie’s Guest House, a private business center; that two private security guards assigned to an area proximate to the said business center, namely co-defendants Martin Dolo and Rancy Dolo approached the decedent and his friends demanding to know the contents of a bag being carried by one of the decedent’s friends; that an argument ensued because one of the decedent friends questioned the authority of the co-defendants to search their bags, noting that the co-defendants were not officers of the Liberian National Police (LNP) or the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA); that during the argument, co-defendant Martin Dolo called his boss, the appellant herein, Sensee Kowo, requesting that he come on the scene; that upon the appellant’s arrival, and without investigating the cause of the argument, proceeded to take hold of the decedent from the back Read more →

Minister Dean Contempt Proceedings (08/11/2023)

In an Opinion growing out of contempt proceedings against then Attorney General/Minister of Justice, C. Abayomi Cassell, the Supreme Court, in 1961 speaking through Mr. Chief Justice James A.A. Pierre in the case: In Re C. Abayomi Cassell, 14LLR 391, 403, 404 (1961), opined thus: “…the Judiciary is the anchor which holds stabilized government in balance; without it, vested interest might suffer, sacred rights [will] be violated, constituted authority [will] be challenged; and in fine, administrative chaos could result…The Judiciary is only as weak as the concept of those who imagine it to be so; and it is as strong as the will of those who worship within its shrine…” We affirm and confirm this holding of the Supreme Court, and are of the view that same is epiphanic and true, not just to the faithful few of 1961 but also to the current worshippers and priests in Black Silk who revered the sacredness of these hallow walls and have sworn by holy writ to show due respect to the courts at all times regardless of their station or social status. The present case is another classical example of another Attorney General/Minister of Justice and Dean of the Supreme Court Bar who has substituted his ethical responsibilities to the courts of Liberia with that of mudslinging in order to impugn and undermine the image of the Judiciary and to camouflage the ineptitude of the Institution he heads and as the chief prosecutor of all crimes in the Republic of Read more →

Bea Mountain Mining vs Corporation Frederick Kamara et.al(08/11/2023)

This case has its origin in a contract executed between the appellant, Bea Mountain Mining Company (BMMC), and the International Construction & Engineering, Inc. (ICE) for the construction of a processing plant at the appellant’s mining site in Grand Cape Mount County, named and styled the “New Liberty Gold Mines”. Following the execution of the contract between the appellant and the International Construction & Engineering, Inc. (ICE), the latter as a separate and distinct entity, proceeded to hire the appellees in these proceedings in order to perform its responsibilities under the contract with the appellant. The project commenced at the appellant’s mining site, with all parties performing in compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract until the International Construction & Engineering, Inc. (ICE) breached certain provisions of the contract, prompting the appellant to terminate its services Read more →

Kortu Carmmo II et al vs. The Intestate of Alhaji Musa Turay et al (05/19/2023)

The present appeal emanates from a Ruling of our Distinguished Colleague, Mr. Justice Yussif D. Kaba, while presiding in Chambers during the October Term 2021, following a hearing on a petition for the writ of certiorari filed by the appellee herein, the Intestate Estate of Alhaji Musa Turay against the 1st and 2nd appellants, Madam Kortu Carmmo and the Intestate Estate of Mobutu Vlah Nyepan, respectively. The records show that on May 30, 2019, the 1st appellant, Madam Kortu Carmmo filed an action of summary proceedings to recover possession of real property in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court, Montserrado County. The appellee, the Intestate Estate of Alhaji Musa Turay filed its answer averring therein that title being in dispute, the action of summary proceedings to recover possession of real property could not lie, and Read more →

Emmet Hoff et al v. Republic of Liberia Final (05/19/2023)

On May 26, 2018, the Grand Jurors of Montserrado County presented an indictment against the appellants, Emmett Hoff, John E. Tarpeh, Solomon Gibson, Edward Gibson, Emmanuel Gibson, Mandingo Papay, Josephus Hoff, Winston Kennedy, Mark Dermah, Emmanuel Teddy Gbah for the commission of the crimes of murder and criminal conspiracy to commit murder. The indictment alleges that during the morning hour of 9:45 a.m. to 10 a.m. on March 19, 2018, in the area of the Building for Tomorrow Community, Johnsonville Township, the deceased, Alexander Slocum, along with Samuel Benson visited a parcel of land which he, Samuel Benson intended to purchase from the deceased Alexander Slocum; that the co-defendant Emmett Hoff, having received information Read more →

Kollie Buway v. RL II final (05/19/2023)

The Supreme Court is called upon to again make final determination of an appeal involving the crime of rape, emanating from the final ruling of the 1st Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “E”, which adjudged the appellant herein, Kollie Buway guilty of the crime of rape. The records indicate that at the time the crime was committed, the appellant and private prosecutrix were 57 and 12 years old, respectively. The certified records show that on March 4, 2009, a writ of arrest was issued out of the Paynesville Magisterial Court against the appellant, charging him with the commission of the crime of rape; thereafter, the appellant was indicted by the grand jury for Montserrado County on the single charge of rape and forwarded to the 1st Judicial Circuit, Criminal Assizes “E” for prosecution. We quote below the indictment, to Read more →

THE INTESTATE ESTATE OF AB MARS V. ALEXANDER FREEMAN (04/12/2023)

This motion to dismiss presents a single issue for our determination viz.: whether or not an appeal is dismissible for failure of the appellant to transcribe the records to this Court. The Supreme Court has opined in numerous of its Opinions that where a motion to dismiss an appeal is presented for determination, the Supreme Court is estopped from entering upon the records to make any determination of the substantive issues on appeal; that even in instances where the Court elects to consolidate the motion to dismiss the appeal with the main appeal, the Court must first determine the justifiability of the contention(s) presented in the motion; except the Court determines that the contentions are not tenable for the dismissible of the appeal, it cannot proceed to make determination of the appeal on Read more →

IN RE THE REQUEST FOR PARDON OF CLINTON BROWN ET AL (04/12/2023)

On December 15, 2022, this Court adjudged the petitioners herein, Clinton Brown, Daniel S. Tubman, Joseph Kollie, Robert Sulu, Varney Sirleaf, and Miller Bondo, guilty of criminal contempt of the Judiciary Branch of Government for acts that impugned its dignity and integrity and undermine the smooth administration of justice in three Magisterial Courts in Read more →

IN RE THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMISSION PLANNED CONDUCT OF THE VOTERS (04/12/2023)

According to legal scholars of constitutional law, “the constitution represents the Supreme written will of the people regarding the framework for their Government. Where a constitution asserts a certain right, or lays down a certain principle of law or procedure, it speaks for the entire people as their supreme law, and it is the paramount authority for all that is done in pursuance of its provisions. The constitution embodies fundamental values and articulates the Read more →

FEDRICK KROMAH VS BEA MOUNTAIN (01/26/2023)

This appeal emanates from a final ruling of the National Labor Court on a petition for judicial review, reversing the decision of the hearing officer of the Ministry of Labor, which held the appellee Messrs. Bea Mountain Mining Company liable for wrongful dismissal of the appellants, Mr. Fredrick Kromah and eighteen (18) other workers. Read more →

LACC REVISED (01/26/2023)

The genesis of this case is traced to the date of August 21, 2008, when the Legislature, pursuant to its authority enumerated in Articles 34(l) and 89 of the Constitution (1986), passed into law, “An Act to Establish the Liberian Anti- Corruption Commission. The purpose of this Act in a nutshell, was to create the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) with the power to investigate corruption and prosecute same in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice. According to Section 6.1 of this law, the LACC was to be composed Read more →