Chea Cheapoo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chea Cheapoo
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 15th Chief Justice of Liberia | |
| In office July 1987 – 2 December 1987 |
|
| Nominated by | Samuel Doe |
| Preceded by | James N. Nagbe |
| Succeeded by | Emmanuel Gbalazeh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 November 1942 Kiteabo, Webbo District, Grand Gedeh County, Liberia |
| Died | 16 September 2020 (aged 77) Caldwell, New Georgia, Montserrado County, Liberia |
| Alma mater | Booker Washington Institute North Carolina Central University |
Chea Job Cheapoo, Sr. (born November 2, 1942 – died September 16, 2020) was an important Liberian politician. He served as the 15th Chief Justice of Liberia. This is a very high legal position, like the head judge of the country. He held this job from July 1987 until December 1987. He was removed from office, but his full rights were later given back to him.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Chea Cheapoo was born on November 2, 1942. His birthplace was Kiteabo, in what was then Webbo District. This area is part of Grand Gedeh County in Liberia.
He first went to school at the Assembly of God school in Pleebo. Later, he studied at Monrovia College. In 1961, he earned a diploma in bookkeeping. This was from the Booker Washington Institute. He then went to the North Carolina Central University School of Law. He finished his law degree there in 1970.
Starting in Politics
After finishing his law studies, Cheapoo returned to Liberia. He began working for the government. He joined the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Later, he became an assistant minister in the Ministry of Justice.
In the late 1970s, Cheapoo became a Senator. He represented Grand Gedeh County. He was part of the ruling True Whig Party. However, he left the party after disagreeing with its leaders.
He then started working as a private lawyer. Soon after, he joined an opposition group. This group was called the Progressive Alliance of Liberia (PAL). He became a main legal advisor for them. In 1980, he was a spokesperson for its new version, the Progressive People's Party (PPP). That same year, the ruling party banned the PPP. Cheapoo and other party leaders were put in prison. They were accused of serious crimes against the government.
Important Legal Jobs
In April 1980, the government was overthrown. This was done in a sudden change of power. Cheapoo was freed from prison. He was then made Attorney General. This is the chief legal officer of the country. He served under the new government. However, he was removed from this job in September 1981. He was arrested after being accused of wrongdoing.
In June 1987, the Chief Justice, James N. Nagbe, resigned. President Samuel Doe then chose Cheapoo to be the new Chief Justice.
Soon after taking office, Cheapoo faced a problem. He was accused of wrongly ordering the arrest of a judge and his wife. He said they had tried to bribe him. Amid this issue, he said President Doe had wrongly released the couple. On November 10, 1987, he offered to resign. But President Doe refused his resignation. Instead, Doe called for him to be punished.
Later that month, the House of Representatives voted to remove him. This process is called impeachment. On December 2, the Senate found him guilty. They removed him from office. They said he had broken the Constitution while in his job. Almost everyone voted to remove him.
Chea Cheapoo was the first government official in Liberia to be impeached. After he was removed, he was arrested. He was accused of speaking badly about President Doe. But many ordinary people supported him. Crowds cheered him as he went to trial. The lawyers' group in Montserrado County even refused to work in the judge's courtroom until that judge was removed.
After the War
On July 12, 1994, the government passed a law. This law gave Chea Cheapoo back all his rights as a citizen. He later became the Chairman of the Liberia National Conference. He also signed an important peace agreement called the Abuja Accord. In 2008, he spoke to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. He shared what he knew about the events of the 1980 government change.
Elections He Ran In
Cheapoo ran in the 1997 general elections. He was the main candidate for the Progressive People's Party (PPP). As the candidate for president, he received only a small number of votes. His party did not win any seats in the Legislature.
His party did not run candidates in the 2005 elections. But Cheapoo was again the PPP's candidate for president in 2011. He again received a small percentage of the votes. His party did not win any seats in the legislature that year either.
Death
Chea Cheapoo died on September 16, 2020. He passed away at his son's house in Caldwell, New Georgia.
Images for kids
-
Chea Cheapoo
