Richard Nagbe Koon, the self-proclaimed “regime speaker,” has openly rejected the Supreme Court’s April 23, 2025, ruling, which nullified his claim to the Speakership and declared the actions of the so-called Majority Bloc unconstitutional. In a defiant statement, Koon vowed that the House of Representatives would continue to operate independently, disregarding the Court’s decision that reaffirmed J. Fonati Koffa as the legitimate Speaker.
Koon’s tenure as purported Speaker has been characterized by a series of unconstitutional maneuvers that have thrown the Legislature into chaos. He led the Majority Bloc in holding unsanctioned, parallel legislative sessions while Speaker Koffa remained the constitutionally recognized presiding officer. The Supreme Court repeatedly ruled these actions ultra vires and a flagrant disregard for constitutional order, as they violated quorum and procedural requirements under Articles 33 and 49 of the Constitution. Despite these clear judicial warnings, Koon and his allies pressed ahead, and continue their unconstitutional activities.
The crisis deepened when Koon reportedly ordered lawmakers to forcibly break into Speaker Koffa’s office, a move that depicted how far they were prepared to continue with their lawlessness. In addition, Koon himself ordered the damaging of Representative Yekeh Kolubah’s car, further cementing the lawlessness and intimidation tactics employed to consolidate control and silence dissent within the House. These actions have not only undermined the integrity of the Legislature but have also threatened the personal safety of lawmakers.
Under Koon’s watch, the disregard for constitutional order reached new lows as his ally, Representative Foday Fahnbulleh, publicly insulted the Supreme Court bench. In plenary and before the nation, Fahnbulleh dismissed Associate Justice Yormie Gbeisay’s explanation for the Court’s absence from the President’s State of the Nation Address as nothing more than a “liquor statement.” This unprecedented attack on the judiciary’s integrity was widely condemned as an affront to the independence of the Supreme Court and a dangerous signal that lawmakers under Koon’s leadership feel emboldened to disrespect the highest court in the land without consequence.
Koon’s public denunciation of the Supreme Court’s authority and his vow to disregard its rulings justify a direct assault on the Sacred Laws of the Republic of Liberia. He has accused the Court of overstepping its bounds and attempting to dictate the leadership of the House, even as his actions have been repeatedly found unconstitutional by the nation’s highest court. This defiance risks plunging Liberia into a full-blown constitutional crisis.
