News

[Trokon Freeman]

Speaker Koon: Legislature to set clear penalties for contempt of court following Prophet Key sentencing

House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon says the Legislature will move to establish clear rules governing penalties for contempt of court following the recent sentencing of social media commentator Prophet Key by the Supreme Court of Liberia.

Speaking during an engagement with members of the diplomatic community in Monrovia on Friday, March 13, 2026, Speaker Koon referenced the case involving Prophet Key and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Yamie Gbessay, which resulted in the commentator being sentenced to six months imprisonment.

According to the Speaker, the ruling has sparked debate among legal experts and commentators, with some describing the penalty as excessive.

“Excellencies, recently we witnessed a case at the Supreme Court involving a social media commentator and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on charges of contempt of court which led to the sentencing of the commentator for six months, in addition to other punitive measures. Such judgment has been deemed overly excessive by legal pundits”.

The Speaker noted that the Legislature has taken note of Article 74 of the Liberian Constitution, which states that penalties in contempt of court matters should be determined by the Legislature.

“Following this episode, the Legislature has taken note of Article 74 of the Constitution which states: ‘In all matters of contempt of court, whether in the Supreme Court or in other courts, the penalties to be imposed shall be fixed by the Legislature and shall conform to the provisions on Fundamental Rights laid down by law”.

Speaker Koon emphasized that the House intends to set clear rules in line with the constitutional provision in order to guide the imposition of penalties in contempt cases and ensure they align with the country’s fundamental rights framework.

The move, according to him, is aimed at strengthening Liberia’s legal system while ensuring that judicial actions remain consistent with constitutional mandates.