Monrovia, Liberia — The retirement ceremony for Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene Gyapay Yuoh was marked by a notable absence of senior government officials, as both the Legislature and the Executive branch boycotted the event on Friday.
Seats reserved for President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, House Speaker Richard Koon, and other top leaders from the Senate and the Cabinet remained empty. While the Justice Minister traditionally escorts the outgoing and incoming chief justices, a proxy was sent in his place. This high-profile snub has been interpreted by many as a clear sign of the deep-seated political divisions between the branches of government.
The boycott is widely seen as retaliation for the Judiciary’s absence from the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in January. That no-show followed a Supreme Court ruling that found the election of Speaker Koon to be unconstitutional, rendering his actions “ultra vires,” or without legal authority. Despite the ruling, the Boakai administration recognized Koon’s speakership, reportedly based on the Justice Minister’s interpretation of the law.
At the time, Chief Justice Yuoh was in Cairo, Egypt, attending a high-level meeting of chief justices from Africa and the Middle East, while the other four justices also stayed away from the SONA.
Despite the political tension surrounding the event, Chief Justice Yuoh maintained a composed and dignified demeanor during her farewell speech. She reflected on her tenure and stressed the importance of upholding the rule of law. The courtroom was filled with members of the Liberia National Bar Association, legal practitioners, foreign diplomats, and law school students who gave her a standing ovation in recognition of her decades of service and her historic role as the first female chief justice of Liberia.