Bryant Application for ECOWAS Mediation

The Government of Liberia indicted former Chairman of the National Transitional Government of Liberia, Charles Gyude Bryant, for economic crimes. Chairman Bryant  asserts his innocence of these charges.  In addition, he claims entitlement as head of state to executive immunity from prosecution. The Supreme Court of Liberia agreed that he was entitled to executive immunity but held that the transitional legislature removed that immunity by asking the elected government to conduct an audit. Chairman Bryant claims that his immunity is protected by the Accra Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2003 that governed the transitional era in Liberia and filed an application with ECOWAS to protect the integrity of the Peace Agreement and his immunity. All documents relating to this Application are included here.  All further developments will be posted under Part C. below. 

For a description of the pro bono law firm that has filed the application for mediation on behalf of Chairman Bryant, click here.

A.  Application

• Chronology including Court Filings
• Application Cover Page and Table of Contents
• Application
• List of Attached Documents

B.  Appendices

• Appendix 1: Constitution of the Republic of Liberia 1986
• Appendix 2: Liberia Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (June 17, 2003)
• Appendix 3: Liberia Comprehensive Peace Agreement (Accra, August 18, 2003)
• Appendix 4: ECOWAS Report (June 18, 2005)
• Appendix 5: Writ of Arrest and Indictment (March 12, 2007)*
• Appendix 6: Petitioner's Amended Petition (Bryant's Amended Petition for a Writ of Prohibition) (dated and filed March 12, 2007)* and Petitioner's Brief (Bryant's Brief in Support of his Amended Petition for a Writ of Prohibition) (filed April 23, 2007)*
• Appendix 7: Respondent's Returns (GOL's Answer to Bryant's Amended Petition for a Writ of Prohibition) (dated April 2, 2007) reproduced in part in GOL v. Bryant, p. 9-12*
• Appendix 8: Oral Arguments 14^th Day's Session (April 24, 2007)*
• Appendix 9: Majority Opinion of Liberia Supreme Court in Bryant v. GOL delivered by Justice Ja'Neh (August 23, 2007)
• Appendix 10: Togba v. Smith, 24 LLR 458 (1975)
• Appendix 11: Separate Opinion of Chief Justice Lewis in Bryant v. GOL concurring in part and dissenting in part (August 23, 2007)*
• Appendix 12: Court's Opinion delivered by Chief Justice Lewis (Bill of Information) in ROL v. Kontoe (November 9, 2007) includes Bryant's Petition for Re-argument which was presented to all four concurring justices, but not heard*
• Appendix 13: Three letters dated February 2008 from the Solicitor-General to (i) Internal Revenue (ii) Ministry of Finance and (iii) Central Bank seeking evidence in connection with 2007 indictment
• Appendix 14: Indictment (May 8, 2008)

 C.  Further Documents and Filings

• Notice of Assignment (Nov. 18, 2008)

* Indicates legal-size document

The John Marshall Law School wishes to thank Anne Abramson, Foreign and International Law Librarian, Thomas Keefe, Instructional Services Law Librarian, and Chris Bevard, Library Manager, for their assistance in making these documents available online