The Plenary of the House of Representatives has fined the Acting Justice Minister and Solicitor General of Liberia, Cllr. Nyananti Tuah with Liberian Dollars, Four Thousand, Nine Hundred, Ninety-Nine, ninety-nine cents (L$4,999.99) as contempt charge to be paid in government revenue Friday, March 3, 2023, and with a receipt to be presented to the Chief Clerk office on Monday, March 6, 2023.
The decision to have the Acting Justice Minister held under contempt with the fine was reached on Thursday, 2 March during the House’s 14th Day Sitting of the 6th Session of the House of Representatives of the 54th Legislature.
Said decision was based on the refusal of Solicitor-General, Cllr. Tuah to appear last Tuesday, 28 February before the House’s Plenary when he was written by the Chief Clerk to appear.
The plenary cited the Minister to address issues relating to the collection of the road fund from the petroleum Importers and how the payment agreement was entered into.
The Acting Minister appeared to justify why he should not be held in contempt. He was asked to come along with his lawyer but waived said right.
Minister Tuah’s reasons for not appearing last Tuesday were seen as unjustifiable and therefore he was charged with contempt.
He told the Honorable body that he could not appear because he was invited to the Liberian Senate on the same day but failed to communicate with the House on said engagement with the Senate.
Petroleum Importers were invited to appear before the Plenary along with the National Road Fund (NRF), LPRC, and the Justice Minister. Petroleum Importers who are indebted to the government appeared in full Plenary to give their payment plan.
The Plenary concluded to allow the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) to work along with the importers in deriving the payment plan.
The LRA was asked to write an apology letter to the Plenary and be published in the newspaper and thereby admitting that LRA takes the responsibility to collect the fund and not Justice Ministry.
LRA has earlier told the Plenary that Justice Ministry was responsible for the collection of the road fund.
