Liberia Chief Justice calls for jury system reform amid tampering allegations

Liberian Chief Justice Yamie Quiqui Gbeisay Sr. has called for a potential abolition of trial by jury, citing widespread systemic corruption and tampering. During the opening of the Supreme Court’s October Term, the Chief Justice highlighted reports of jury manipulation in several counties, including Nimba, Grand Gedeh, Bomi, and Margibi, affecting cases ranging from drug trafficking to rape.

Gbeisay specifically referenced the high-profile US$6.2 million economic sabotage case involving former Finance Minister Samuel D. Tweah Jr. A post-trial inquiry in that case reportedly established “gross jury tampering,” leading a judge to set aside a split verdict and order a new trial. The Chief Justice’s remarks have sparked intense debate regarding judicial impartiality and the integrity of the nation's legal system.

In response to these systemic concerns, former Assistant Minister Amos Harris Emmanuel K. Barnes has called for Chief Justice Gbeisay’s resignation. Barnes argued that the Chief Justice must take responsibility for the vulnerabilities in jury management or step down, claiming the judiciary has lost credibility under his leadership.