Court rules speaker must stay
2007-01-29 18:15
Monrovia - The Supreme Court in Liberia ruled on Monday in favour of parliamentary speaker impeached early this month for allegedly undermining the country's foreign policy.
Handing down his ruling in a case speaker Edwin Snowe brought before the court last week, Chief Judge Johnny Luis, declared "unconstitutional" the censure by 41 lawmakers.
Snowe, had been impeached on January 18 after he met Taiwan government officials in Gambia when the west African country, just emerging from a civil war, enjoys full diplomatic ties with China.
"Honourable Edwin Snowe (Jr) remains the constitutional Speaker of the House of Representatives until those who want to remove him follow the due process," said Luis.
The supreme court decision comes just days ahead of a visit to Liberia by Chinese President Hu Jintao, expected in Africa's oldest republic on Thursday.
The vote to impeach Snowe went through at a special session by 41 votes out of 64, but in the absence of the speaker and when parliament was on recess.
Held talks with Taiwanese officials
Under the constitution of Liberia, parliament can impeach a speaker through of a vote of at least two-thirds of the legislators and in presence of the speaker.
The English-speaking west African country, whose economy was devastated by back-to-back civil wars between 1989 and 2003, has diplomatic ties with China.
But Snowe, an opposition politician, last year held talks with Taiwanese officials in Gambia, one of the five African countries in a group of 24 nations recognising Taipei's status as a separate entity from mainland China.
Beijing takes a dim view of countries dealing with Taiwan.
China and Taiwan split in 1949 at the end of a civil war, but Beijing considers the island part of its territory, to be reunified with the mainland by force if necessary.
Sirleaf's administration and the 30-member senate have not commented on either the vote or the court's ruling.
As a nation, Liberia was founded in the 19th century by freed slaves.