By Jerromie S. Walters
Monrovia – In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to sentence social media commentator Justine Oldpa Yeazeahn, popularly known as Prophet Key, to six months in prison for contempt, Cllr. Tiawon Gongolo has defended the ruling, grounding his position in the very laws he helped draft.
Cllr. Gongolo, who served as a drafter of Liberia’s landmark free speech legislation, the Kamara A. Kamara Law, weighed in on the controversy, emphasizing that while freedom of expression is sacred, it is not without limits. His comments come after the High Court on Friday found Prophet Key guilty of contempt for “vulgar remarks” directed at Chief Justice Yarmin Quiqui Gbeisay and for accusations of corruption levied against the full bench.
” My position as a drafter of Liberia’s free speech law… and as an ardent defender of constitutional freedoms is guided strictly by the rule of law,” Cllr. Gongolo stated. He anchored his support for the Court’s action in Section 17.3 of the Liberia Penal Code, which addresses “criminal malevolence and conduct that undermines public order and the administration of justice.”
Prophet Key was summoned to appear before the Justice after a series of social media statements in which he verbally attacked the Chief Justice and his mother. While the contemnor pleaded guilty and begged for mercy, the Court ruled that his actions were damaging to the integrity of the judiciary, warranting a custodial sentence.
Echoing the Court’s reasoning, Cllr. Gongolo argued that respect for the judiciary is foundational to governance. “While freedom of expression is fully protected under our Constitution and statutes, it does not extend to speech that threatens, degrades, or unlawfully impugns the integrity of the courts or obstructs the administration of justice,” he said.
