Jolue Aloysius Tarlue, the suspended and subsequently removed Executive Governor of the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL), has filed a petition for a writ of prohibition with the Supreme Court, challenging his removal by President Joseph Boakai.
Tarlue, represented by his legal counsel from Gongloe & Associates, Inc., argues that the President’s action was illegal and unconstitutional, asserting that the removal of the Executive Governor of the CBL can only occur through impeachment by the National Legislature.
According to the petition, Section 13.1 of the Amended and Restated Act Establishing the Central Bank of Liberia (1999) clearly states that the appointment of the Non-Executive Governors, Executive Governor, and Deputy Governors shall be made by the President of the Republic of Liberia, subject to confirmation by the Liberian Senate, for a term of five years.
The petitioner contends that the appointment procedure must be finalized within sixty days preceding the expiration of the term of the relevant Non-Executive Governor, and a Non-Executive Governor shall be eligible for reappointment, provided that they do not serve for more than two consecutive five-year terms.
Tarlue’s legal team emphasized that the Amended and Restated Act Establishing the Central Bank of Liberia (1999) stipulates that the Executive Governor can only be removed under specific conditions, such as gross misconduct or criminal conviction, and solely through legislative impeachment proceedings.
The petition further argued that the President’s unilateral suspension circumvents the constitutional process and sets a dangerous precedent for executive overreach.
The Petitioner maintains that his suspension without pay is tantamount to removal and was done without a hearing, violating Article 20(a) of the 1986 Constitution, which states that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, security of the person, property, privilege, or any other right, except as the outcome of a hearing judgment, consistent with the provisions laid down in this Constitution and by due process of law.
Tarlue is seeking the Supreme Court’s intervention to nullify his suspension, reinstate him with full benefits, and prevent further actions against him by the Executive Branch.
President Boakai removed the governor following audit, which revealed alleged financial irregularities.
The audit report released July 24 by the General Auditing Commission revealed that the Central Bank of Liberia lent the government $83 million in November and December last year, without the necessary approvals, and awarded contracts worth $11 million over the review period without competitive bidding.
Forty staff members were hired without any evidence of approvals for their contracts, and some taxes and contributions were withheld from some employees without being remitted to the relevant agencies, according to the audit, which covers 2018-2023.
Liberia’s central bank faced series of scandals between 2018-2019, including the reported disappearance of printed currency valued about $100 million.